Victory for Voting Rights: Mont. GOP Backs Off Plans to Challenge Mont. Voters

"My intent was to ensure that voters are properly registered and that Montanans would have the utmost faith in the integrity of our elections process," Eaton wrote in the letter to election officials. "Nevertheless, because of the unintended consequences that have been reported, I will not file any other elector challenges."

Following a story about the challenges that appeared in The Missoulian on October 2, the "unintended consequences" of the GOP challenge included chaos at election boards, condemnation from voting rights groups, protests within Montana, and a lawsuit filed by the Montana Democratic Party on behalf of two challenged voters. In the Montana Standard, Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger, a Republican, called the challenge "an utter disgrace," and said he was "appalled by the leadership of [his] political party."

The developments in Montana came just a few weeks after reports of the Michigan GOP's plans to challenge the eligibility of voters whose names appeared on foreclosure lists. Met with similar public outrage and accusations of voter caging, the Michigan GOP recanted those plans as well, according to the Michigan Messenger.  

"We are pleased to hear that the Montana GOP has decided to withdraw the challenges," James said today. "And we are encouraged that these kinds of partisan caging operations-which have been used in previous years to disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters-are being met this election cycle with the media scrutiny and public outrage they deserve."