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Montana Supreme Court Upholds Nonpartisan Elections for Judges

12/13/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Montana Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Attorney General Austin Knudsen lacked justification for rewriting a ballot initiative to preserve nonpartisan elections for state judges.
The court ordered the Secretary of State to restore the original language proposed by Montanans For Fair and Impartial Judges.
The court's action emphasizes that revisions to ballot language must be legally justified.

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Story summary

The Montana Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Attorney General Austin Knudsen lacked justification for rewriting a ballot initiative to preserve nonpartisan elections for state judges.
The court ordered the Secretary of State to restore the original language proposed by Montanans For Fair and Impartial Judges.
The court's action emphasizes that revisions to ballot language must be legally justified.