Group sues Butte-Silver Bow County after 4,500 signatures for data center initiative rejected
Citizens in Montana's Butte-Silver Bow and Yellowstone counties collected thousands of signatures for a data center initiative, but county officials rejected them due to incorrect deadline information. A group in Butte-Silver Bow has filed a lawsuit and secured a preliminary injunction to ensure their signatures are processed. This issue highlights a dispute over citizens' rights and government accountability regarding legislative changes.
Citizens' efforts to place data center initiatives on the November ballot in Butte-Silver Bow and Yellowstone counties, Montana, have been challenged after county officials rejected thousands of signatures. Organizers from both counties claim they received incorrect deadline information from their respective county election offices, leading to their collected signatures being deemed invalid.
In Butte-Silver Bow, Eric Nland, representing Butte Watchdogs for Social and Environmental Justice, stated his group, comprising 406 people, met the 3,600-signature requirement by July 31st. However, they were later informed that the actual submission deadline was July 13th, a date they missed due to the erroneous guidance. Commissioner Trudy Healey acknowledged a "lack of transparency" regarding the issue, emphasizing the public's right to know what affects their community.
A similar situation unfolded in Yellowstone County, where Yellowstone County Voices was initially given an August 12th deadline by election officials. The group was subsequently notified by the county attorney's office that new legislation, effective in 2025, had changed the submission date to July 13th. Brian Miller, attorney for Cassie Soulberg and Yellowstone County Voices, expressed skepticism about the county's future guidance after this incident.
Following the rejection, the Butte-Silver Bow group filed a lawsuit, and a judge has since granted a preliminary injunction, ordering the signatures to be processed. Both citizen groups are determined to continue their fight, with Yellowstone County Voices vowing to "hold their feet to the fire." The origin of the 2025 legislation that altered the submission dates remains unconfirmed by MTN.