2022 Candidates

In furtherance of his lifelong commitment to public service, Ed Stafman is running for re-election to the Montana House (District 59, south-central Bozeman). As Chair of the Health & Human Services Committee, Ed is working on many issues, but especially to address the many needs of Montana’s behavioral health system.

For 10 years, Ed served as a Rabbi in Bozeman (and is now Rabbi Emeritus) and was a civil rights attorney for 25 years. Ed works to bring people together to be stewards of our threatened planet; to create affordable housing and child care; to support good paying jobs and small businesses; for conservation and responsible wildlife management (Ed received a rating of 100% from the Montana Conservation Voters); to achieve tax fairness; to work for excellence in public education; to assure access to health care; and to protect the vulnerable among us. 

Ed has been active in the community for many years, teaching in various settings, working with HRDC, Family Promise, Eagle Mount, and many local conservation, justice, and music, and arts groups. He is an avid cyclist, skier, hiker, and dog owner. 

I was born and raised in HD 64.  I was lucky enough to be able to move back to Bozeman after law school in 2002 and back to the district in 2013.  We are close to my parents who still live in our family home in Four Corners and are happy that we are raising our son here. My parents instilled in me the importance of serving our community. My father, Gary Griffith, served as the Chair of the Monforton School Board for 30 years.  My mother, Linda Griffith, was involved with Eagle Mount for more than 20 years, 10 of those as Executive Director.  Like my parents, I also have served our community in a variety of ways, both through my work and my volunteer experiences.  I taught debate at Monforton, I am the coach of the Mock Trial Team in Big Sky, served on the boards of nonprofits Reach and Morningstar Learning Center, and volunteered my time at Eagle Mount and the Gallatin Legal Assistance Clinic.

I have been practicing law for almost 20 years.  Most of my practice is dedicated to representing owner’s associations.  I help them with everything from redrafting their governing documents so that their rules actually address the needs of the community, working with government agencies on infrastructure, acting as a mediator between neighbors who may not see eye to eye on a subject and when all else fails, going to court to argue on their behalf, and helping them preserve property values.  Basically, I am like a legislator for my associations.  I work hard to get their needs addressed through changes in their laws and working with various branches of government.  

I hope to take my decades of experience giving my clients a strong voice in their communities and in court and put it to good use representing us in Helena.  I believe together, we can find the common sense solutions to the real challenges facing our state today.

Kelly Kortum grew up in Ekalaka, a small agricultural community in southeastern Montana. After high school, he moved to Bozeman seeking education and a career in technology. Kelly has worked at the Community Food Co-op as a Systems Administrator for more than ten years.

Kortum was elected to represent Montana House District 65 in 2020. In the recent session, he served on three committees: State Administration, Energy, and Local Government, specializing in voting rights and technology.

Eric has spent years supporting his fellow workers in Montana. He believes in strong wages, health care, education, retirement with dignity, and a fair equitable tax system for all Montanans.

Matthews, a Chief Joseph Middle School teacher and Bozeman native, has filed as a Democratic candidate for the Montana Legislature, representing House District 66 in central Bozeman. Matthews was born in HD 66 and lives in the district. He’s a graduate of Bozeman High School (1992) and an alumnus of Montana State University, earning two degrees from MSU. Matthews has been a teacher for 23 years, tended bar at the Haufbrau for a decade, and is a proud member of our community. Matthews has been an active leader within the school district for more than 20 years, helping to negotiate contracts for educators and facilitating contracts for classified personnel in the district. He has served as the Bozeman Education Association vice president for 6 years and in 2018, joined the board of Montana’s largest workers union, MFPE (Montana Federation of Public Employees) to advocate for working Montanans. In 2021 Matthews was elected to serve as the first vice president of MFPE.