Law: Governor must reside in Helena, yet voting records show Gianforte officially claimed Bozeman as primary residence
Contact: [email protected]
HAVRE, Mont. — Governor Greg Gianforte, once sentenced to 40 hours of community service after lying to police officers, has violated the Montana Constitution by voting in Gallatin County this year.
Public voter registration records show Gianforte claimed his official residential address at 1320 Manley Road in Bozeman, and voted in Gallatin County on October 17 (public voter registration records are searchable HERE).
Here is why that’s a violation of the Montana Constitution and Montana law:
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The Montana Constitution and Montana Law clearly state the Governor and other Executive Branch officers must “reside at the seat of government.” [Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 1(3); Montana Code Annotated § 2-16-111]
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The Montana Constitution also says “The seat of government shall be in Helena, except during periods of emergency resulting from disasters or enemy attack.” [Montana Constitution, Article III, Section 2]
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Montana Law also states a voter may have “only one residence” for election purposes. [Montana Code Annotated § 13-1-113]
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In addition to Gianforte’s home in Bozeman, he also privately owns two mansions in Helena (618 Madison Avenue and 720 Madison Avenue). This year he bought a fourth mansion at 14 Leaning Tree Lane on Georgetown Lake.
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Unlike his predecessors, Gianforte has never occupied State of Montana’s official, taxpayer-funded residence for the Governor at 2 Carson Street in Helena. It is currently vacant.
“Greg Gianforte has always believed he’s better than everyone else and that the rules don’t apply to him—and now he wants more political power so he can keep turning our state into a playground for millionaires and billionaires like himself,” said former firearms executive Ryan Busse, who’s challenging Gianforte. “The fact that Gianforte openly violated the Montana Constitution isn’t up for debate. It’s right there in the public record and he has yet to answer for it.”
Here are screenshots of Gianforte’s 2024 public voter registration details:
QUICK FACTS:
- Pronunciation: Ryan BUSS’-ee
- Home: Kalispell, Mont.
- Office Sought: Governor of Montana
- Affiliation: Democrat
- Website: busseformontana.com
- X (Twitter): @ryandbusse
- DOB: 2/23/70 (53)
- Occupation: Writer, Consultant, Firearms Expert and Former Executive (Vice President of Sales, Kimber America: 1995-2020)
- Family: Married to Sara for 24 years; two sons: Lander (18) and Badge (15)
- Alma Mater: Bethany College (Kansas)
- Chevy Odometer: 280,000 miles
- Hunting Dogs: Aldo and Teddy
- Bio: Ryan Busse is an author and former firearms executive who helped build the gun company Kimber from Kalispell between 1995 and 2020. Over his 25-year career Busse directed the sales of nearly three million Kimber firearms. His memoir, Gunfight: My Battle Against the Industry that Radicalized America, was published by PublicAffairs (Hachette) in 2021. Busse was born near the Kansas cattle ranch homesteaded by his great-grandfather. He is an avid hunter, angler and champion of public lands, and has held leadership positions with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and Montana Conservation Voters. Busse and his wife Sara live in Kalispell and have two teenage sons.