Time to redraw gerrymandered PSC boundaries

Back in April, a groundswell of volunteers put a first-time candidate and lifelong Independent on the ballot. Over 150 volunteers, from Libby to Lolo, came out of the woodwork to support my campaign for the Public Service Commission, the government body that regulates utility companies. Many of these volunteers were strangers to me, but together, we built a campaign that prioritized regular people’s pocketbooks over political parties and corporate profits.  

This burst of nonpartisan energy wasn’t enough to win in a gerrymandered district drawn by legislators to guarantee victory for my opponent, but it was enough to earn the trust of an unusually high number of people on both sides of the aisle across western Montana. In PSC District 4, which stretches across seven counties from Ravalli to Lincoln, more than 3,000 voters cast their ballots for both President-elect Trump and an independent candidate running against an incumbent Republican commissioner in a district drawn to ensure a Republican win. Ultimately, over 57,000 Montanans from across the political spectrum cast votes for a nonpartisan candidate during a hyper partisan period in American history.  

In a different year, in a less polarized election not dominated by national politics, this upstart campaign could have achieved an upset. But here’s the good news: That year might be just around the corner.