# Montana HB 207: Revise candidate filing and write-in candidate laws Montana HB 207, Revise candidate filing and write-in candidate laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Jodee Etchart (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-16 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB207-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana HB 207 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise candidate filing and write-in candidate laws - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-15 - Last action: 2025-05-16, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Jodee Etchart (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Elections - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 7 (445 yes, 152 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Petition rules and 4% threshold for independents: mixed, low. Independent candidates and parties not in the primary must file a declaration, pay the fee, and submit a petition. Petition signers must be active electors who live in the state and the district. Each line must show the signature, mailing address, and printed last name. You must collect at least 4%… - Tighter filing and write-in rules for candidates: mixed, low. The law sets one filing window for candidates. You must file your nomination between 105 and 90 days before the primary, by 5 p.m. on day 90. Write-in candidates must file by 5 p.m. on the 90th day before the election. A declared write-in for the general election cannot list a party, nonpartisan, o… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jodee Etchart (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-17 | House | Do Concur | pass | 63 | 36 | | | 2025-04-16 | House | Do Concur | pass | 100 | 0 | | | 2025-04-11 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 43 | 5 | | | 2025-04-10 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 47 | 3 | | | 2025-02-10 | House | Do Pass | pass | 59 | 41 | | | 2025-02-06 | House | Do Pass As Amended | pass | 59 | 41 | | | 2025-02-06 | House | AMD-HB0207.002.001 Etchart DO PASS | pass | 74 | 26 | | ## Actions (27) - 2025-05-16: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-12: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-05-05: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-05-02: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-24: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-18: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-17: 3rd Reading Senate Amendments (House) - 2025-04-16: 2nd Reading Senate Amendments (House) - 2025-04-11: Returned to House with Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-10: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-12: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-11: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-02-10: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-02-06: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-02-06: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (House) - 2025-02-03: Committee Report (House) - 2025-01-31: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-01-15: Hearing (House) - 2025-01-15: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-01-15: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-01-15: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f5c6b03c-3d7f-43f9-bc5d-40ec79b6eeda) - As Amended (Version 4), 2025-04-08: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=c058bcfc-67c5-42c2-a02a-54fcb125a4d4) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-02-06: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f6661b18-acc8-41b2-a6e0-31918c1377ee) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-03: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9b6703bc-30ce-4659-888b-91d839c2f158) - Introduced, 2025-01-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4cc918c2-255b-4156-a4fe-44f90c2028db) ## Related bills - SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed) - HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed) - HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed) - SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed) - SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f5c6b03c-3d7f-43f9-bc5d-40ec79b6eeda) - [As Amended (Version 4) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=c058bcfc-67c5-42c2-a02a-54fcb125a4d4) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f6661b18-acc8-41b2-a6e0-31918c1377ee) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9b6703bc-30ce-4659-888b-91d839c2f158) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4cc918c2-255b-4156-a4fe-44f90c2028db) ## Related - [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025) - [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025) - [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025) - [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025) - [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills) - [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB207-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).