Montana District Court Rebuffs Attorney General and Restores Two Lawmakers to General Election Ballot

HELENA, MT — In a high-stakes constitutional ruling issued late Wednesday, Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Michael McMahon struck down an official legal interpretation by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, ordering state election officials to certify two legislative candidates for the November general election.

Constitutional Interpretation of Term Limits

The dispute centered on Article IV, Section 8 of the Montana Constitution, which limits state representatives and senators to eight years in any 16-year window. Attorney General Knudsen had issued a binding legal opinion declaring that partial legislative terms served due to midterm appointments counted toward the full eight-year cap, thereby disqualifying Representatives Llew Jones and Steve Fitzpatrick.

Judge McMahon ruled that the Attorney General's interpretation contradicted established statutory precedent and historical secretary of state administrative guidelines, holding that voters' right to ballot access must prevail absent unambiguous constitutional disqualification.

Impact on General Election Certification

The decision prevents a major vacancy on legislative ballots across northern and central Montana districts where Jones and Fitzpatrick had already secured their respective party nominations. The Montana Secretary of State’s Elections Division confirmed that candidate listings have been updated in accordance with the court order.

Civic groups and legal analysts noted that the swift ruling provides clarity for county election administrators who face a strict August 20 statutory deadline to finalize and print municipal ballots for overseas and military voters.

Supreme Court Appeal Proceedings

The Montana Department of Justice filed an emergency notice of appeal to the Montana Supreme Court, requesting an expedited review before county ballot proofs are dispatched to commercial printers Thursday afternoon.