Require petition submittals be dropped off within a specific timeframe

- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 SB 226
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – SB 226
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT REVISING CERTIFICATION OF PETITION SIGNATURES TO ADD A FILING TIMELINE; AMENDING
SECTION 13-27-302, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 13-27-302, MCA, is amended to read:
"13-27-302. Certification of signatures. (1) An affidavit, in substantially the following form, must be
attached to each sheet or section submitted to the county official:
I, (name of person who is the signature gatherer), swear that I gathered the signatures on the petition
to which this affidavit is attached on the stated dates, that I believe the signatures on the petition are genuine,
are the signatures of the persons whose names they purport to be, and are the signatures of Montana electors
who are registered at the address or have the telephone number following the person's signature, and that the
signers knew the contents of the petition before signing the
petition.______________________________________(Date on which the first signature was
gathered)______________________________________(Signature of petition signature
gatherer)______________________________________(Address of petition signature gatherer)
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ___ day of _________, 20__
Seal______________________________________(Person authorized to take
oaths)______________________________________(Title or notarial information)
(2) (a) (i) For an affidavit provided for in subsection (1) that is attached to a signature sheet with a
collected signature dated 287 days or more prior to the final date provided in 13-27-104 for filing the petition,
the signature gatherer or an agent of the group gathering signatures shall submit the affidavit and the signature
sheet or the section to which the affidavit is attached to the county election administrator by 273 days before
the final date provided in 13-27-104 for filing the petition.
- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 SB 226
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – SB 226
ENROLLED BILL
(ii) For an affidavit provided for in subsection (1) that is attached to a signature sheet with a
collected signature dated 196 days or more prior to the final date provided in 13-27-104 for filing the petition,
the signature gatherer or an agent of the group gathering signatures shall submit the affidavit and the signature
sheet or the section to which the affidavit is attached to the county election administrator by 182 days before
the final date provided in 13-27-104 for filing the petition.
(iii) For an affidavit provided for in subsection (1) that is attached to a signature sheet with a
collected signature dated 126 days or more prior to the final date provided in 13-27-104 for filing the petition,
the signature gatherer or an agent of the group gathering signatures shall submit the affidavit and the signature
sheet or the section to which the affidavit is attached to the county election administrator by 112 days before
the final date provided in 13-27-104 for filing the petition.
(iv) For an affidavit provided for in subsection (1) that is attached to a signature sheet with a
collected signature dated 98 days or more prior to the final date provided in 13-27-104 for filing the petition, the
signature gatherer or an agent of the group gathering signatures shall submit the affidavit and the signature
sheet or the section to which the affidavit is attached to the county election administrator by 84 days before the
final date provided in 13-27-104 for filing the petition.
(b) Once the affidavit provided for in subsection (1) is submitted, the election administrator shall
date stamp the affidavit, register it in a log, and provide a receipt of submission to the signature gatherer or
agent of the group gathering signatures.
(c) If the affidavit and the signature sheet or the section to which the affidavit is attached are
subject to a deadline in subsection (2)(a) and are not submitted within the timeline required under subsection
(2)(a), the county election administrator shall reject the filing and may not process it further."
Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
SB 226, 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. 226
INTRODUCED BY M. CUFFE
AN ACT REVISING CERTIFICATION OF PETITION SIGNATURES TO ADD A FILING TIMELINE; AMENDING
SECTION 13-27-302, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.