Provide that only contested precinct committee men/women need to be on the primary election ballot

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69th Legislature 2025 SB 184
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – SB 184
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO ELECTIONS FOR PRECINCT COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES;
PROVIDING THAT ONLY CONTESTED RACES FOR MALE OR FEMALE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES
NEED TO BE ON THE PRIMARY BALLOT; AND AMENDING SECTION 13-38-201, MCA.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 13-38-201, MCA, is amended to read:
"13-38-201. Election or appointment of committee representatives at primary -- vacancies -- tie
votes. (1) Each political party shall appoint or elect at each primary election one person of each sex, as defined
in 1-1-201, to serve as committee representatives for each election precinct. The committee representatives
must be residents and registered voters of the precinct.
(2) If a political party chooses to appoint precinct committee representatives, the political party
shall make the appointments as provided in the party's rules.
(3) If a political party chooses to elect precinct committee representatives, the party may:
(a) administer the election itself as provided in the party's rules; or
(b) elect precinct committee representatives in a primary election, subject to 13-10-209 and
subsection (4) of this section.
(4) In a primary election for a precinct committee representative:
(a) (i) if the number of candidates nominated for a party's precinct committee representatives male
committee representative is less than or equal to the number of positions to be elected, the election
administrator may give notice that a party's precinct committee male committee representative election will may
not be held in that precinct; and
(ii) if the number of candidates nominated for a party's precinct female committee representative is
less than or equal to the number of positions to be elected, the election administrator may give notice that a
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69th Legislature 2025 SB 184
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – SB 184
ENROLLED BILL
party's precinct female committee representative election may not be held in that precinct;
(b) if a party precinct committee election is not held pursuant to subsection (4)(a), the election
administrator shall declare elected by acclamation the candidate who filed for the position or who filed a
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. The election administrator shall issue a certificate of election to
the designated party.
(c) write-in votes for a precinct committee representative may be counted as specified in 13-15-
206(5) only if the individual whose name is written in has filed a declaration of intent as a write-in candidate by
the deadline prescribed in 13-10-211(1);
(d) in the case of a tie vote for a precinct committee representative position, the county central
committee shall determine a winner.
(5) Pursuant to 13-38-101, a vacancy in a precinct committee representative position must be filled
by the party governing body as provided in its rules."
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I hereby certify that the within bill,
SB 184, originated in the Senate.
___________________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
SENATE BILL NO. 184
INTRODUCED BY M. REGIER
AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO ELECTIONS FOR PRECINCT COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES;
PROVIDING THAT ONLY CONTESTED RACES FOR MALE OR FEMALE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES
NEED TO BE ON THE PRIMARY BALLOT; AND AMENDING SECTION 13-38-201, MCA.