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, as is currently the case. It amends Section 3-2-101 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to specify that justices will be elected by qualified voters in their respective districts, with a total of seven districts defined in a new section. Additionally, the bill outlines a transition plan for current justices, ensuring that no sitting justice will be removed from office during their term, while also establishing a process for assigning justices to their new districts.

The bill also amends Section 13-14-211 of the MCA to clarify that each vacancy for a judicial office in a district with multiple judges is treated as a separate and independent office for election purposes. Furthermore, it includes provisions for the review of district boundaries after each decennial census to maintain population equity. The act is designed to enhance voter familiarity with candidates and improve the judicial function by ensuring justices have knowledge of local circumstances. The changes are set to apply to elections and appointments of justices beginning on or after the effective date of the act.

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