This bill proposes significant revisions to the laws governing nonpartisan judicial races in Montana, specifically allowing candidates for the positions of Chief Justice and Justice of the Supreme Court to indicate their political party affiliation on their declarations for nomination. The bill introduces new sections that permit these candidates to announce their political affiliations and endorsements, and mandates that their party affiliation, if indicated, must appear on both primary and general election ballots. Additionally, it amends several existing sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect these changes, including provisions for how candidates' names and party affiliations are displayed on ballots.

Key amendments include the requirement that if a candidate for Chief Justice or Justice of the Supreme Court does not indicate a political party affiliation, their name will be labeled as "Nonpartisan" on the ballot. The bill also appropriates $5,000 from the general fund to the Secretary of State for necessary updates to the election system. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025, with applicability 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: 13-10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, 13-14-212