Bill > HB751

This bill fundamentally changes the election process for Montana Supreme Court justices by transforming judicial elections from nonpartisan to partisan contests. Under the new law, Supreme Court justice candidates will be nominated and elected using political party ballots, similar to other partisan elections, with each justice position considered a separate and independent office. Candidates can now choose to file as a partisan candidate or as an "undisclosed" candidate, with only one undisclosed candidate allowed to advance to the general election. The bill allows Supreme Court justice candidates to accept political endorsements and contributions from political parties, which was previously prohibited. If an incumbent justice is the only candidate for a position, they will be placed on the general election ballot with a retention question that includes their political party designation. Additionally, the bill modifies ballot preparation and candidate listing requirements to accommodate these partisan judicial elections, ensuring that voters understand they can only vote once for each type of office. These changes represent a significant shift from Montana's historical nonpartisan judicial election system to a more politically aligned approach for selecting Supreme Court justices.

Justice

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1739