Gerrymandering Judicial Districts Unacceptable To Missoula Lawmaker

A bill that would let voters decide whether to change state law to elect Montana Supreme Court Justices from regional districts will get one more chance in the house to make it on the ballot. Currently, candidates run in a statewide election. Supporters say this would help voters better know who their candidates are and would add a diverse perspective on the court from each local district, but Representative Ellie Hill, from Missoula,  says Supreme Court Justices should represent the whole State, not just those who elect them from individual districts.

The measure requires the support of 2/3 of the entire legislature to get on the November 2012 ballot. It needed to pick up 70 votes from the house, but it only received 65 on its second reading.