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Proposal to replace judicial elections with an appointment system draws sharp opposition
Summary
HB 506 would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to replace election of Montana Supreme Court justices with a legislative-nominated, governor-appointed process; opponents warned it would politicize the court and remove voter accountability, while the sponsor proposed committee-driven vetting and a fallback 'lottery' if the nominating panel deadlocks.
Representative Brad Barker opened House Bill 506, a proposed constitutional amendment that would let voters decide in 2026 whether to replace statewide elections for Supreme Court justices with an appointment system. Barker described a nominating commission of six partisan appointees (three from each side) that would select a short list of nominees for the governor to appoint, with a lottery fallback if the commission cannot agree.
Opponents from multiple organizations —…
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