Vote 411

Montana Free Press

Ed holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Montana at Missoula, a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University, and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. 

Ed is a U.S Army veteran, retiring as a Colonel after 30 years of service. 

Ballotpedia: Ed Byrne

Ed Byrne's campaign for State Representative is his first entry into politics. 

Flathead Beacon

Wants to readdress property tax bills that failed in previous legislative sessions.

Wants to "shift the 3% bed tax from the general fund back to the respective counties afford counties the opportunity to reduce local property taxes."

Wants to abolish taxing senior citizens on their social security.

Opposes affordable housing, but supports “attainable housing and workforce [housing].”

- Wants to readdress property tax bills that failed in previous legislative sessions.
- Wants to "shift the 3% bed tax from the general fund back to the respective counties afford counties the opportunity to reduce local property taxes."
- Wants to abolish taxing senior citizens on their social security.
- Opposes affordable housing, but supports “attainable housing and workforce [housing].”

Economy

As of June 8, 2025, Ed Byrne did not have a website or any information online.

Energy & the Environment

Supports Medicaid and the Healthy Montana Kids children’s health insurance plan, but opposes state efforts to expand Medicaid in its current form.

- Supports Medicaid and the Healthy Montana Kids children’s health insurance plan, but opposes state efforts to expand Medicaid in its current form.

Healthcare

Facebook

Said, "As a lifetime member of both the [National Rifle Association] and [Montana Shooting Sports Association], I take my 2nd Amendment rights very seriously and will always stand to protect them."

- Said, "As a lifetime member of both the [National Rifle Association] and [Montana Shooting Sports Association], I take my 2nd Amendment rights very seriously and will always stand to protect them."

Public Safety

Voting & Elections

Wants school funding to be based on student enrollment.

Opposes state funding for Pre-K education.

- Wants school funding to be based on student enrollment.
- Opposes state funding for Pre-K education.

Education

Ed Byrne

Jennifer grew up in  in Philadelphia. She attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology, and later earned a Master’s in Social Work from Eastern Washington University. Jennifer is married, and together they have two children. The family has lived in the Flathead Valley, Montana, for over fifteen years.

Jennifer has over ten years of experience working in human services.

Ballot Pedia

Jennifer Allen previously ran for Montana State Senate District 5 in 2018 and Montana House of Representatives District 10 in 2020, but did not win either time.

Candidate website

Said, "Over time, property taxes have become too big a piece of Montana’s revenue pie. I want to modernize the entire revenue system since it has been decades since we have done so."

Supports diversifying housing options for Montanans like health care workers and seniors, advocating for the use of Coal Trust funds as grants, not loans, to enhance affordability and maximize federal housing funds.

Said, "In addition, I would work to rejuvenate past legislative attempts to build paid family leave for all workers. This would include adoptive families and care for senior and ill family members."

The candidate's website says, "Montana needs to plan what we want in a reasonable system, distribute funds in a way that allows that plan to come to fruition and provide sufficient ongoing funding for the programs to be maintained into the future."

The candidate's website says, "Residential property taxes are particularly reactive to market value impact. There are known interventions the Legislature can take to help equalize the process."

Said, "I am pleased that the Governor has developed a housing task force. I agree with several recommendations from this committee such as the need to fund infrastructure grants from a state level, including sewer and water."

Said, "I have been excited to see the range of new infill housing units being built and renovated that’s going on in Kalispell and Whitefish. Encouraging projects like these are critical to solving the housing crisis."

The candidate's website says, "In 2022 the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce released the Child Care Call to Action. This document details a broad range of options complete with implementation plans that incorporate intervention and follow up monitoring."

Said, "If elected, I would be willing to work with the Chamber to develop and support any state level legislation specific to addressing implementation of these ideas."

- Said, "Over time, property taxes have become too big a piece of Montana’s revenue pie. I want to modernize the entire revenue system since it has been decades since we have done so."
- Supports diversifying housing options for Montanans like health care workers and seniors, advocating for the use of Coal Trust funds as grants, not loans, to enhance affordability and maximize federal housing funds.
- Said, "In addition, I would work to rejuvenate past legislative attempts to build paid family leave for all workers. This would include adoptive families and care for senior and ill family members."
- The candidate's website says, "Montana needs to plan what we want in a reasonable system, distribute funds in a way that allows that plan to come to fruition and provide sufficient ongoing funding for the programs to be maintained into the future."
- The candidate's website says, "Residential property taxes are particularly reactive to market value impact. There are known interventions the Legislature can take to help equalize the process."
- Said, "I am pleased that the Governor has developed a housing task force. I agree with several recommendations from this committee such as the need to fund infrastructure grants from a state level, including sewer and water."
- Said, "I have been excited to see the range of new infill housing units being built and renovated that’s going on in Kalispell and Whitefish. Encouraging projects like these are critical to solving the housing crisis."
- The candidate's website says, "In 2022 the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce released the Child Care Call to Action. This document details a broad range of options complete with implementation plans that incorporate intervention and follow up monitoring."
- Said, "If elected, I would be willing to work with the Chamber to develop and support any state level legislation specific to addressing implementation of these ideas."

Plans to safeguard Montana's natural beauty and community spirit through legislative action, drawing on experience in social leadership and a conviction for improvement through dedicated effort.

Said, "We need to respond to climate change in a speedy robust way that matches the severity of the emergency."

Said, "We must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and support the development of clean, renewable energy sources."

The candidate's website says, "Montana must level the playing field, providing the same financial and tax benefits to renewable energy that we do to fossil fuels."

The candidate's website says, "Climate change requires that we prepare for change across the board. This includes our agriculture and tourism industries, our transportation and energy distribution systems, our conservation planning, and our state revenue streams."

- Plans to safeguard Montana's natural beauty and community spirit through legislative action, drawing on experience in social leadership and a conviction for improvement through dedicated effort.
- Said, "We need to respond to climate change in a speedy robust way that matches the severity of the emergency."
- Said, "We must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and support the development of clean, renewable energy sources."
- The candidate's website says, "Montana must level the playing field, providing the same financial and tax benefits to renewable energy that we do to fossil fuels."
- The candidate's website says, "Climate change requires that we prepare for change across the board. This includes our agriculture and tourism industries, our transportation and energy distribution systems, our conservation planning, and our state revenue streams."

Said, "I was a Supervisor at Kalispell’s Mental Health Center when the Expansion was initially approved. With consistent access to medical care, my clients were able to re-enter the workforce."

The candidate's website says, "By looking at data from Wyoming and other states, we know the financial and human costs (including increased mortality rates) that will come from the failure to reauthorize the Expansion."

The candidate's website says, "We need Medicaid Expansion and its Federal incentives to help keep our rural hospitals afloat, and it will be absolutely vital to rebuilding our mental health system."

Said, "I have always been (and always will be) a strong supporter of our rights of access to the full range of reproductive health needs, including education, birth control, and abortion."

The candidate's website says, "After the demise of Roe v. Wade, abortion remains legal in this state only because of a 25-year-old state Supreme Court ruling that protected it under the strong right to privacy in our state constitution."

The candidate's website says, "Most Montanans support the right to abortion up to viability, and to save the health and life of the mother."

The candidate's website says, "The state has lost programs, staff, and institutional knowledge that will be difficult to replace. Even our state mental hospital lost accreditation and is collapsing."

The candidate's website says, "It is vital to provide funding for services for mentally ill or addicted individuals. Although some funding was set aside last session for mental health, it is being distributed spottily, as grants to whomever happens to apply for the funds."

Said, "Montana’s mental health system is in a shambles. I was working in mental health when the state funding bottomed out and things fell apart."

- Said, "I was a Supervisor at Kalispell’s Mental Health Center when the Expansion was initially approved. With consistent access to medical care, my clients were able to re-enter the workforce."
- The candidate's website says, "By looking at data from Wyoming and other states, we know the financial and human costs (including increased mortality rates) that will come from the failure to reauthorize the Expansion."
- The candidate's website says, "We need Medicaid Expansion and its Federal incentives to help keep our rural hospitals afloat, and it will be absolutely vital to rebuilding our mental health system."
- Said, "I have always been (and always will be) a strong supporter of our rights of access to the full range of reproductive health needs, including education, birth control, and abortion."
- The candidate's website says, "After the demise of Roe v. Wade, abortion remains legal in this state only because of a 25-year-old state Supreme Court ruling that protected it under the strong right to privacy in our state constitution."
- The candidate's website says, "Most Montanans support the right to abortion up to viability, and to save the health and life of the mother."
- The candidate's website says, "The state has lost programs, staff, and institutional knowledge that will be difficult to replace. Even our state mental hospital lost accreditation and is collapsing."
- The candidate's website says, "It is vital to provide funding for services for mentally ill or addicted individuals. Although some funding was set aside last session for mental health, it is being distributed spottily, as grants to whomever happens to apply for the funds."
- Said, "Montana’s mental health system is in a shambles. I was working in mental health when the state funding bottomed out and things fell apart."

Said, "I support all the moves made by the state of Maine, including background checks without loopholes, waiting periods for gun purchases, developing Extreme Risk Protection Orders (“Yellow or Red Flag Laws”), ... and support for training families on how to use gun safes/locks for safe gun storage."

The candidate's website says, "Maine recently passed significant gun safety legislation six months after their deadliest shooting in state history. They did this despite having a strong tradition of hunting and gun ownership."

The candidate's website says, "An important part of responsible gun ownership is to prevent your guns from ending up in the hands of people who are unsafe – untrained children and persons who are dangerous to themselves or others."

Said, "I also approve of additional limitations and oversight on the ownership of high speed/rapid kill weapons such as machine guns or assault rifles... When the national ban expired in 2004, we saw an immediate and steep climb in the number and severity of mass shootings."

Said, "I have provided Crisis Intervention Training to community police... and participated in legislative committees to develop laws that impact persons with mental illness... I have worked directly with the poorest and most vulnerable of our community members, often at their darkest hours."

- Said, "I support all the moves made by the state of Maine, including background checks without loopholes, waiting periods for gun purchases, developing Extreme Risk Protection Orders (“Yellow or Red Flag Laws”), ... and support for training families on how to use gun safes/locks for safe gun storage."
- The candidate's website says, "Maine recently passed significant gun safety legislation six months after their deadliest shooting in state history. They did this despite having a strong tradition of hunting and gun ownership."
- The candidate's website says, "An important part of responsible gun ownership is to prevent your guns from ending up in the hands of people who are unsafe – untrained children and persons who are dangerous to themselves or others."
- Said, "I also approve of additional limitations and oversight on the ownership of high speed/rapid kill weapons such as machine guns or assault rifles... When the national ban expired in 2004, we saw an immediate and steep climb in the number and severity of mass shootings."
- Said, "I have provided Crisis Intervention Training to community police... and participated in legislative committees to develop laws that impact persons with mental illness... I have worked directly with the poorest and most vulnerable of our community members, often at their darkest hours."

As of June 8, 2025, Jennifer Allen’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Jennifer Allen

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