OBAMA FIRST TO QUALIFY FOR BALLOT

HELENA—The office of Secretary of State Brad Johnson announced today that Senator Barack Obama is the first Presidential candidate to qualify for Montana’s primary election.

“Even though the Republican party held a caucus on February 5, Montana still has a primary election on June 3,” Secretary of State Brad Johnson said.

Candidates of qualified Montana political parties can qualify for Montana’s Presidential preference primary by filing a declaration of candidacy and fulfilling one out of two other requirements.  The first way is for the candidate to qualify for federal matching funds when Montana candidate filing closes on March 20. The alternative way is to turn in the signatures of 500 registered Montana voters who support placing the candidate’s name on the ballot. In Montana, there is no fee to file for President.

The Obama campaign qualified for the Montana ballot by collecting 606 certified signatures to the office of Secretary of State Brad Johnson as of February 8, 2008. A letter informing the campaign of Senator Obama’s qualification was sent via e-mail and regular mail today.

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