3 CSKT Members Will Represent Western Montana in Legislature

MISSOULA — Three members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will represent Western Montana in the Montana Legislature for the first time in history.

Now that the election season is winding down, three lawmakers are preparing for the year ahead.

“I think it’s really great to have three people from CSKT and three people from Bitterroot Salish in the Legislature,” said Montana Senate District 46 elected Jacinda Morigeau, who will soon represent much of the Flathead Reservation during upcoming legislative session.

She says this is a district that has lacked representation in previous congressional districts: “My district, Senate District 46, is the largest district with the largest Native population without local representation.”

*Jacinda Morigeau will represent District 46 in the Montana Legislature.*

Montana Sen. Shane Morigeau, who will represent a different Missoula district, understands the challenges underrepresented groups face during the campaign.

In 2017, he became the first CSKT member to be elected to the Senate since the late 1960s. He says redistricting allows each party to be equally represented in every district in the state.

“You know, redistricting is a constitutional requirement – both under the Constitution and under the Voting Rights Act – to ensure that, you know, minority voters have the right to vote,” says Shane Morigeau .

Shelley Fayant, who was elected to serve Missoula in District 91, has already held several positions in her community and is a former CSKT Tribal Chairman.

Shelley Fayant, House Representative, Elect 91 — *Shelley Fayant will represent the 91st House District in the Montana Legislature.*

“I served on the college board. I served on tribal council. You know, it’s just one more step,” Fayant said.

Despite her tribal leadership, Fayant says she has rarely been asked to weigh in on past legislation that would impact the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

“Some of the former legislators never came to the tribe — when I was on tribal council — to consult with us on bills. And they actually introduced bills that would have hurt the tribe,” Fayant said.

That’s why she says she wants to focus on the basic needs of the population during the upcoming legislative session: “It basically comes down to the basics of food, water and shelter.”

Shane Morigeau, who has served in the role since 2017, says it’s great to see more Indigenous leaders filling these positions.

“We have Native people – in all these areas – on the city council, the school board now in Missoula, we have Native representatives there. So we have people getting more involved, which is amazing to see,” Shane Morigeau said.

Jacinda Morigeau said she looks forward to being an equal voice for Montana and her district.

“This is my traditional homeland, my Salish homeland. So even my, my constituents in Rattlesnake are in the homeland of my ancestors.” – Jacinda Morigeau

“It’s all part of who I am, as if deep down, so native and non-local, that we are all here together, we are like neighbors helping neighbors,” she concluded.