The Montana House passed HB797 on March 29. It creates a February presidential primary. Existing law has the Montana presidential primary in June. The bill is expected to pass the Senate and be signed into law. If that happens, South Dakota will be the only remaining state that still holds a presidential primary in June (because New Mexico won’t hold a presidential primary at all, and California already moved its June presidential primary to February, earlier this year).
Technically, the bill doesn’t set a February presidential primary date; it just gives the Secretary of State the authority to set a date. But the Secretary of State has already said he will choose February 5.
The bill did pass 76-24 but the pricetag will be one-million dollars and the Montana taxpayers will foot the bill. You would think the political parties would pay for the right to have their presidential candidates listed. We would still have our normal June primary as well costing taxpayers.