Committee hears bill to keep uncontested precinct committee posts off ballots

Senate Bill 184, introduced by Sen. Matt Regier (R), would clarify that only contested precinct committee person races appear on the ballot, keeping uncontested precinct committee persons off the ballot.

The change would apply when a precinct has both a man and a woman position but only one contest is challenged; under current practice some counties put both names on the ballot. "That space, that real estate on the ballot is premium," Regina Plentenberg, appearing for the Montana Association of Clerks and Recorders, told the committee, arguing removing unnecessary contests can lower printing and programming costs and shorten counts.

The bill sponsor, Senator Matt Regier (Senate District 5), said the measure is a technical clarification to match election administration practice in his district and elsewhere. He described the bill as a targeted cleanup: uncontested precinct members would not be added to ballots simply because a co-located race is contested. "It just clarifies that the uncontested precinct person does not go on the ballot," Regier said.

Plentenberg told the committee county clerks often face programming and printing burdens when ballots include uncontested races; she said the change would usually remove low-value entries and that election space is limited. No opponents appeared at the hearing and committee members had only brief procedural questions about term length and related clarifying legislation.

The committee took no formal vote during the hearing. The bill remains in committee for further consideration.

The hearing record shows brief questioning about whether removing the name from the ballot affects the officeholder's term; the sponsor and witnesses said it would not affect the term of office.