Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes a significant overhaul of the judicial election laws in Montana, shifting from a nonpartisan to a partisan system for the nomination and election of Supreme Court justices, district court judges, justices of the peace, and municipal court judges. The bill requires that judicial candidates be nominated and elected on a partisan ballot, allowing them to receive endorsements and contributions from political parties. It also introduces a separate primary election for independent candidates, lowering the signature requirement to 3% of the total votes cast for the successful candidate in the last election for the same office. Additionally, unopposed independent candidates must secure a minimum number of votes to advance to the general election.

The legislation amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) and repeals sections related to the previous nonpartisan election process. Key changes include new provisions for the nomination and election of judicial candidates, the establishment of independent offices for each judicial vacancy, and a specific ballot format for retaining incumbent judges. The bill aims to enhance public awareness and scrutiny of judicial candidates by incorporating party affiliations into the election process, addressing concerns about special interest group influence, and improving transparency in judicial elections. It also legalizes endorsements from political parties for judicial candidates, repeals existing restrictions on such endorsements, and ensures compliance with contribution limits for joint fundraising committees.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(1): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(2): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(3): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(4): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(5): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(6): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(7): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(8): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1(9): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_1: 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(1): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(10): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(11): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(12): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(13): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(14): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(15): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(2): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(3): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(4): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(5): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(6): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(7): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(8): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2(9): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_2: 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(1): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(10): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(11): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(12): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(13): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(14): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(15): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(16): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(17): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(18): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(19): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(2): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(3): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(4): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(5): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(6): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(7): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(8): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3(9): 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211
SB0042_3: 3-2-101, 3-5-201, 3-10-201, 3-10-206, 13-1-103, 13-10-501, 13-10-502, 13-10-503, 13-10-601, 13-14-111, 13-14-118, 13-37-211