Also known as a “citizen initiative” or “ballot initiative,” ballot measures are Montana’s purest form of direct democracy, allowing VOTERS to propose and vote on laws rather than politicians in the state legislature.

A ballot measures proposes a change to state law or the state constitution that voters decide by election after collecting enough signatures to get it placed on the ballot.

CI-133 protects the ballot measure process itself and safeguards our constitutional right to propose and vote on laws without government interference.

Specifically, CI-133 requires impartial, predictable, open, and timely processes for approving petitions and ballot statements, resolving legal challenges, gathering signatures, and verifying signatures. It also bans the government from taking sides on ballot measures and using taxpayer money to sway your vote.

Since 2020, a small minority of politicians began responding to ballot measures they dislike by attacking the process itself. The number of bills attacking the ballot measure process peaked in 2025, threatening direct democracy in Montana and underlining the need to protect the ballot measure process from political attacks.

There’s currently broad support among Montana voters for this effort: Polling shows 68% of Montanans support CI-133. That’s because Montanans know what is best for Montana, and CI-133 protects our right to propose and vote on laws that put our interests first.

Ballot measures have a long history of keeping government accountable to the voters and letting Montanans decide on issues that impact us. The process has been used successfully by parties across the political spectrum. 

Successful ballot measures have raised Montana’s minimum wage, legalized marijuana, limited taxes on real property sales, banned politicians from lobbying for two years after their service, raised out-of-state hunting license fees to fund hunter access programs, and enacted children’s health insurance (Healthy Montana Kids).

Montanans Decide is a coalition of Montana voters who have come together to protect the ballot measure process in MT and safeguard our constitutional right to propose and vote on laws without interference from the government.  We filed the initiative, fought through the courts to win approval to collect signatures, and are out gathering signatures to get CI-133 on the ballot for the November 2026 election.