Two Republican state lawmakers filed suit Friday against Attorney General Austin Knudsen and the Secretary of State after Knudsen issued a decision this week that would remove them from the November ballot on term limit grounds. The lawsuit puts a legal challenge directly in front of the courts before the state Republican Party moves to replace the affected candidates.
Knudsen's ruling applies an interpretation of Montana's term limit law that the two lawmakers argue is legally incorrect and would cut short legislative careers that their constituents voted to extend. The filing names both the attorney general and the secretary of state, the official responsible for ballot certification, suggesting the lawmakers are seeking relief quickly enough to affect what names actually appear in November.
The Montana Republican Party, meanwhile, was preparing its own process to name replacement candidates for the affected seats — a parallel track that would effectively render the lawsuit moot if the courts don't act fast. That timeline adds urgency to any request for emergency or preliminary injunctive relief the lawmakers may seek.
The dispute reflects a broader tension over how Montana's term limit provisions, passed by voters, apply to legislators who have served in multiple chambers or had service interrupted. Helena-area residents with legislators affected by the ruling will be watching the court's response closely, as any delay in a ruling could leave county clerks in an uncertain position as ballot printing deadlines approach.