This bill proposes significant changes to the laws governing nonpartisan judicial races in Montana, specifically for the positions of Chief Justice and Justice of the Supreme Court. It allows candidates for these offices to indicate their political party affiliation on their declaration for nomination, which will also be displayed on both primary and general election ballots. Additionally, candidates will be permitted to announce their political affiliations and endorsements. The bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect these changes, including provisions for how ballots are arranged and how candidates' names and party affiliations are presented.

Key amendments include the requirement that if a candidate for Chief Justice or Justice of the Supreme Court indicates a political party affiliation, that affiliation must appear next to their name on the ballot. Conversely, if no affiliation is indicated, the candidate's name will be labeled as "Nonpartisan." The bill also includes an appropriation of $5,000 to the Secretary of State for necessary updates related to these changes. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to elections held on or after January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 13-10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, 13-14-212
HB0838_1(1): 13-10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, 13-14-212
HB0838_1(2): 13-10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, 13-14-212
HB0838_1(3): 13-10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, 13-14-212
HB0838_1(4): 13-10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, 13-14-212
HB0838_1(5): 13-10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, 13-14-212
HB0838_1: 13-10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, 13-14-212