Montana Voters Move to Bar Corporate Campaign Spending

The initiative defines entities such as corporations and trusts as "artificial persons," effectively barring them from injecting capital into state elections. Supporters argue that limiting campaign participation to "real people" is a necessary step to curb the influence of dark money. The victory in Montana mirrors a similar legislative effort in Hawaii earlier this year, where officials also sought to restrict corporate political spending by challenging the constitutional status of business entities.

Tom Moore, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, framed the vote as a historic attempt to reclaim democratic processes from corporate interests. While both the Montana and Hawaii measures face anticipated legal challenges, proponents suggest these state-level actions are building momentum for broader reform. Adam Bojak, a newly elected member of the New York State Assembly, has already signaled his intent to introduce similar legislation in the coming session, hoping to replicate the Montana model in the Empire State.