Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes significant revisions to Montana's primary election laws, primarily by moving the date of the primary election from June to May. The bill amends Section 13-1-107 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to establish that primary elections will now occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May in even-numbered years. Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for conducting multiple elections on the same day, mandating that if a primary election and a school election are held concurrently, they must be placed on separate ballots. Furthermore, the counting of these ballots will be conducted in a specific order, with primary election ballots counted before those of the school election.

The bill also includes a new requirement for the Secretary of State to notify each federally recognized tribal government in Montana about the changes enacted by this legislation. This notification aims to ensure that tribal governments are informed and can participate in the electoral process effectively. Overall, the bill seeks to streamline the election process and enhance clarity regarding the handling of ballots during concurrent elections.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-1-107
SB0399_1(1): 13-1-107
SB0399_1(2): 13-1-107
SB0399_1(3): 13-1-107
SB0399_1: 13-1-107