Proposed Recall Petition Recorded By Broadwater County Clerk And Recorder
Author: Nancy Marks, MT43 News Reporter
Proposed Recall Petition Recorded by Broadwater County Clerk and Recorder
Nancy Marks
MT43 News Reporter
Broadwater County Clerk and Recorder Angie Paulsen confirmed that a proposed recall petition and signature sheet has been presented to her office. Under the Montana Recall Act, the proposed petition and signature sheet must be submitted to the Elections Administrator to ensure the documents comply with form and language requirements of the Act.
Under a public records request from MT43 News July 7, Paulsen confirmed the proposed petition has been approved as to form. The request was presented June 2nd by Courtney Johnson.
The following is the petition in its entirety.
“We, the undersigned qualified electors of the Townsend School District No. 1 respectfully petition that an election be held as provided by law on the question of whether Chase Ragen, holding the office of School Board Trustee 3 year Term, should be recalled for the following reasons: 1) violation of the oath of office, specifically the oath of discharging his duties of office with fidelity. Fidelity is defined as operating in good faith. Mr. Ragen’s violation of the oath office can be witnessed by watching the electronic board meeting minutes for the March 11, 2025 and April 8, 2025 School Board meetings under the agenda item for Head Girls’ Basketball Coach, which are published on the school’s website under school board recorded meetings (4/09/24-present); and 2) official misconduct. Mr. Ragen is held to Section 2-2-105, MCA Ethics requirements by school board policy 1511 Code of Ethics for School Board Members. Specifically, Mr. Ragen has failed to disclose his prior working relationship under Head Girls’ Basketball Coach, David Lawson, prior to voting on the position, and has attempted to sway voting on the aforementioned coach mentioning individual students, even after being directed to cease by the Board Chair. This can be witnessed under the aforementioned regular school meeting minutes on March 11, 2025.
Each signer certifies: I personally signed this petition; I am a qualified elector of the State of Montana and Townsend School District No. 1; and my residence and post office address are correctly written after my name to the best of my knowledge and belief.”
In a letter to the editor which ran in the July 4 edition of MT43 News, three Townsend residents referred to “filing” a recall petition to set the legal action in motion. The motion would set up a vote in a later election for electors to vote for or against removing Townsend School District board trustee Chase Ragen. He was elected to the board in May 2023. Ragen’s term expires in 2026. Courtney Johnson, Jennifer Beatty and Rehanna Olson signed the letter to the editor giving the background reasons for proposing a formal recall petition with the county clerk and recorder. The group organizing the petition is currently in the process of gathering 937 signatures which would meet the requirement for a formal filing according to Paulsen. The group has until September 2nd to gather signatures.
