House Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes to move municipal elections to even-numbered years, amending existing laws to reflect this change. Specifically, it modifies Section 13-1-104 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to require that municipal officer elections occur on general election day in even-numbered years, while eliminating the requirement for such elections in odd-numbered years. Additionally, it amends Section 13-1-107 to remove the provision for primary elections in odd-numbered years and clarifies that the costs of municipal elections will be borne by the municipalities.

The bill also includes a transition plan for municipal officers whose terms end in January 2026, 2028, or 2030, stipulating that elections will be held in 2025 and special elections will occur in the preceding even-numbered year for those with terms ending in 2028 and 2030. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage and approval, applying to all municipal elections scheduled on or after the effective date.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-1-104
HB0221_1(1): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(10): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(2): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(3): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(4): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(5): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(6): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(7): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(8): 13-1-104
HB0221_1(9): 13-1-104
HB0221_1: 13-1-104
HB0221_2(1): 13-1-104, 13-1-107
HB0221_2(10): 13-1-104
HB0221_2(11): 13-1-104
HB0221_2(2): 13-1-104, 13-1-107
HB0221_2(3): 13-1-104
HB0221_2(4): 13-1-104
HB0221_2(5): 13-1-104
HB0221_2(6): 13-1-104
HB0221_2(7): 13-1-104
HB0221_2(8): 13-1-104
HB0221_2(9): 13-1-104
HB0221_2: 13-1-104, 13-1-107