"First, to be safe, there should be a tougher standard to challenge a voter’s registration. In Washington state, for example, a challenge must be entered based on personal knowledge by the challenger that the voter is no longer a resident of the address listed. This standard alone would have prevented the improper challenges filed in this case.

Second, the law should provide clear criminal penalties for malicious attempts to suppress the vote or for reckless challenges to voting rights that are filed without adequate verification by the challenging party. Penalties should be heightened in cases where overseas military or civilian voters are impacted, as voters abroad are unable to remedy their case through Montana’s Election Day registration process. Valid challenges have a place in Montana law to protect the integrity of our elections. Unresearched challenges and challenges made specifically to intimidate voters need to be clearly prohibited."

This is after Forward Montana and SAVE learned that some voters were challenged for insane inconsistencies in their registration -

"But with these challenges moving behind us, it would be prudent for both the public and policymakers to turn their eyes to preventing these types of challenges in the future through simple, common-sense changes to Montana’s election laws. In particular, we need to do everything we can to prevent wasteful, entirely baseless challenges. In one particularly egregious example, one voter in Missoula County was challenged because one address showed her living in Apt. 7, while another address listed her at Unit 7.

Some of these challenges were filed on the basis of nothing more than slightly different spellings of addresses in two databases. But others were more pernicious. Lt. Kevin Furey for example, was properly registered but chose to forward his mail while deployed. Although his voting address hadn’t changed, his mailing address had moved across the state."

Today, the Executive Director of the GOP in Montana was forced to resign for his efforts, reports the Missoulan

"In an unusual move three weeks before the election and after a failed attempt to challenge voter registrations in some Democratic strongholds, the Montana Republican Party said Tuesday night it was changing executive directors.

Former state Rep. Larry Grinde of Lewistown was named the party's executive director after Jake Eaton resigned “to pursue other interests,” the news release said."

The report further says

"Last week, rumors were running rampant in political circles that Eaton would be pushed out because of the much-criticized effort to challenge voter registrations in seven heavily Democratic counties.

Reached by telephone Tuesday night, Eaton said, “It's all going to be all right. I'm going to work for an outfit, DNS Equity Consulting, a consulting and private equity firm in Madison, Wis. It's just one of those deals. The opportunity came up and I took it.”

Asked if he was forced out as executive director because of the vote challenges, Eaton said, “No, I'm not going to talk about any of that stuff on the record.”

These tactics are finally being seen for what they are, illegal, unethical, and clear attempts at voter suppression and voter disenfranchisement. When we fight back, we win. Don't allow your votes to be suppressed the election.

Crossposted to Kos please recommend