MT SB42

Supreme Court justices, district court judges, justices of the peace, and municipal court judges would be nominated and elected on partisan ballots through party primaries, replacing Montana's current nonpartisan judicial election system

Political parties would be permitted to contribute to judicial candidates and endorse them, repealing the existing prohibition on party contributions to judicial campaigns

Independent judicial candidates would participate in a separate primary election and must receive at least 5% of votes cast for the lowest successful candidate in the most recent primary to advance to the general election

Incumbent judges running unopposed would face a retention vote on the general election ballot with party designation displayed, asking voters whether the judge should be retained for another term

Signature requirements for independent judicial candidates filing by petition would be reduced from 5% to 3% of votes cast for the successful candidate in the last general election for that office