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Hearing: bill to fix municipal candidate certification timing recommended with amendment
Summary
A hearing on House Bill 455 (certification timing for municipal candidates) drew election-administration proponents who recommended an amendment moving the certification date earlier to give counties time to print ballots.
Representative Julie Darling, sponsor of House Bill 455, told the Senate State Administration Committee the bill updates the Commissioner of Political Practices’ deadline to certify municipal candidates and asked the committee to adopt an amendment.
Connor Fitzpatrick, Lewis and Clark County elections division supervisor, testified in support and urged the committee to adopt the sponsor’s amendment to move the certification date earlier in September. Fitzpatrick said the bill was originally intended to establish a specific certification date for municipal general candidates and explained that some large counties, notably Gallatin, had difficulty printing ballots and mailing them on schedule when certifications happened as late as Sept. 30. Fitzpatrick recommended moving the date to Sept. 24 to give election offices time to complete ballot printing and mail ballots on time.
Kim Trujillo, representing the Commissioner of Political Practices’ office, and Deborah Belford attended as informational witnesses and were available to answer questions. Committee members asked clarifying questions about the amendment and the sponsor closed asking the committee to concur with the bill, as amended.
No opponents appeared in person or online during the hearing. The sponsor requested executive action with the proposed amendment and the hearing record was closed.
