Legislation signed into law last week allows any Montana voter to bring a petition placing a minor party on the ballot, which Republicans framed as fixing a deficiency in state code that thwarted their attempt to qualify the Green Party for the 2020 general election.
Senate Bill 350, sponsored by Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, was among a handful of measures requested by the new Republican Secretary of State, Christi Jacobsen, this past legislative session. It also sets out deadlines for petitions that seek to place a third party on the ballot for statewide elections.
Last year, the state Supreme Court ruled 5-2 against then-Secretary of State Corey Stapleton and tossed the Green Party off the 2020 general election ballot, finding the third party hadnât authorized a signature-gathering effort bankrolled by the Montana GOP. Minor parties are sometimes seen as siphoning votes away from the two major parties, and Democrats have argued the left-leaning party's inclusion was designed to disadvantage their candidates. The Libertarian Party, which can pull votes from Republican candidates, is already qualified for Montana ballots.