Bill > HB646

This bill fundamentally changes how Montana Supreme Court justices are elected by dividing the state into seven judicial districts and requiring justices to be elected specifically from those districts, instead of the current statewide at-large election system. The bill creates seven distinct supreme court districts that are geographically defined by specific counties, with one justice representing each district, and ensures that justices must be elected by voters within their assigned district. Current sitting justices will not be immediately removed, but will be assigned to districts corresponding to their current seat numbers, and when they seek reelection, they will run in their assigned district. After the 2032 general election, the chief justice will be selected by a majority vote of the seven justices, rather than being directly elected. The bill's proponents argue that district-based elections will increase voter familiarity with judicial candidates and potentially bring more local knowledge to the court, noting that other states like Kentucky, Oregon, and South Dakota use similar district-based systems for selecting supreme court justices. The legislation also includes provisions for reviewing district boundaries after each decennial census to maintain approximately equal population sizes while adhering to county line boundaries.

Justice

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2937