We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Last May, Governor Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 207 into law. Because this new legislation has shortened the candidate filing period, Blaine County Deputy Clerk & Recorder/Election Manager, Savannah Wendeln wishes to remind residents that the filing period opens February 17 and runs through March 4. The previous filing period was 60 days.
“Also, the write-in period overlaps with the candidate filing period, so there will no longer be an opportunity for people to decide to file as a write-in after they see who has or hasn’t filed,” Wendeln said.
The text of HB 207 describes the bill as “An act revising candidate filing laws; requiring candidates for local and state office to file for office prior to the primary election; prohibiting unsuccessful primary candidates from seeking nomination in the general election; increasing the signature percentage required for a third party or independent candidate petition.”
In essence, this new legislative act has revised the filing laws for candidates seeking local and state office. According to the official document, candidates must now file for office before the primary election, with specific deadlines for different types of candidacies. One major change prohibits unsuccessful primary candidates from seeking nomination in the general election. This aims to streamline the election process and reduce redundancy in candidacies.
Given that the Blaine County experienced a couple of issues with the municipal candidates in the past year, Wendeln further reminds interested individuals about the qualifications of being an elected official. These requirements may include residency details, for example, for anyone seeking to represent a district as a County Commissioner.
“To be eligible to run for commissioner, you must reside within that commissioner district for two years before the general election date. As a side note, we use the date you register to vote as your residency date since that is the most authoritative source of data we can go by,” Wendeln clarified. “Title 7, Chapter 4 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) is your best resource for all the qualifications for elected office and the duties of the offices of local government.”
From that information and in order to assist candidates, Wendeln has prepared a candidate filing guide that will be available for the public to review and use when filing for office. That packet not only presents a quick reference table of numerous offices but outlines their eligibility requirements and shares additional notes.
According to Wendeln, this Blaine County Candidate Filing Packet is intended to provide clear, consistent guidance aligned with the Montana Secretary of State’s Candidate Filing Guide and the MCA. Candidates with questions beyond the information summarized should contact the Blaine County Election Office for assistance.
The current offices that will be open for filing this year are Commissioner District #1, County Attorney, County Clerk and Recorder/Assessor/Election Manager, County Superintendent of Schools, Justice of the Peace, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer, and three positions as Soil Conservation District Supervisor. The term in which these individuals are presently serving expires on December 31, 2026.
