House Bill No. introduced by B. Ler and others proposes a significant change to the election process for Supreme Court justices in Montana. The bill mandates that justices be elected from specific districts rather than at large, establishing seven distinct Supreme Court judicial districts. Each district will elect one justice, and the bill outlines the counties included in each district. Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to reflect this new election process, including changes to the selection of the chief justice, who will be chosen by the majority vote of the justices after general elections.

The bill also includes provisions for a transition period, ensuring that current justices will not be removed from office during their elected terms. Instead, they will be assigned to the new districts corresponding to their current seat numbers. Justices seeking reelection will run in their assigned districts, although they may choose to run in a different district if they resign their current position. The legislation aims to enhance voter familiarity with candidates and improve the representation of local interests in the judicial system.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 3-2-101, 13-14-211
HB0646_1(1): 3-2-101, 13-14-211
HB0646_1(2): 3-2-101, 13-14-211
HB0646_1(3): 3-2-101, 13-14-211
HB0646_1: 3-2-101, 13-14-211