Push for nonpartisan courts gains momentum, files suit against Knudsen

(Missoula Current) A coalition working to keep Montana's judicial elections free of partisan politics raised more than $500,000 and landed several new endorsements, the organization announced on Monday.

In its first campaign finance report, Montanans for Nonpartisan Courts received donations from nearly 300 individuals and a growing list of endorsements, including two former Montana Supreme Court justices and 1,000 individuals from nearly all counties.

Caitie Butler, spokesperson for Montanans for Nonpartisan Courts, said the push to pass a constitutional initiative protecting judicial elections has growing support.

“The huge number of Montanans signing on to support the initiative proves what we already know: Montanans are passionate about protecting their right to judicial elections free from political party influence,” Butler said in a statement. “We’re grateful to the over 1,000 Montanans who believe in the policy we’re putting forward and the coalition we’re bringing together.”

The coalition looks to push back against lawmakers who have attempted to add political affiliations to judicial candidates. The coalition is working to place an initiative on the ballot to ensure judges are elected based on the person rather than their political party.

Retired Montana Supreme Court Justice Pat Cotter said Montana voters deserve a level playing field and “not a political minefield” when they enter a courthouse. Partisan politics have no place in a courtroom, she said.

“We need to retain nonpartisan judicial elections so we can be confident that judges are making decisions based on the facts and the law, and not political affiliation,” Cotter said. “I am proud to endorse Montanans for Nonpartisan Courts as the organization with the policy and plan to protect all of our courts from political control.”

Montanans for Nonpartisan Courts last week also filed a joint lawsuit with Montanans for Fair and Impartial Judges alleging that Attorney General Austin Knudsen rewrote Ballot Measure 3, making it "misleading and prejudicial."

The groups claim that Knudsen was playing political games with the preferential ballot language and did not provide a preliminary determination before rewriting the ballot statement.

“The Attorney General rewrote a simple, straightforward ballot statement simply because he doesn’t like the policy, attempting to prevent Montanans from having a fair chance to weigh in on how they want their judges elected,” Butler said. “The rewritten statement is deceptive and misleading to voters and a dangerous precedent to set for the ballot measure process in Montana.”