Legislative referendum on partisan judicial elections

This bill would require Montana's Supreme Court justices and district court judges to be nominated and elected on partisan ballots, replacing the current nonpartisan system. It creates separate election offices for each judicial position (e.g., each Supreme Court seat), allows political parties to endorse and contribute to judicial candidates, and repeals current restrictions on party involvement in judicial races. The change would directly affect judicial candidates, political parties, and voters who will see partisan choices on ballots for these positions. The bill also specifies that justices of the peace would remain nonpartisan under these new rules.