Montana § 7-2-2206 - Contents Of Petition -- Petition Approval Procedure -- Deadline For Filing Signatures

§ 7-2-2206. Contents Of Petition -- Petition Approval Procedure -- Deadline For Filing Signatures

Contents of petition -- petition approval procedure -- deadline for filing signatures. (1) A petition or petitions for creation of a new county must contain: (a) a legal description of the territory proposed to be taken from the county in which the petition is circulated; (b) a general map, on a separate page or pages, that with shaded areas or darkened boundary lines will display to prospective petition signers the general outlines of the territory described in subsection (1)(a); (c) a statement of the assessed valuation of the proposed county as shown by the most recent assessment, inclusive of all assessed valuation; (d) a statement of the surveyed area, in square miles, that will remain in the county or counties from which territory is taken to form the new county after the county is formed; a statement of the surveyed area in square miles that will be in the new county after formation; and a statement that the surveyed area of the territory proposed to be transferred is greater than 49 square miles; (e) a warning that a person is subject to a $500 fine or 6 months in jail, or both, if the person purposefully: (i) signs a name other than the person's own to the petition; (ii) signs more than once for the same issue; or (iii) signs when not a legally registered voter residing in the territory to be added to the proposed new county; (f) if the proposed new county is to be formed from one existing county, or from portions of two or more existing counties, the name of the proposed new county and a request that the proposed new county be organized into a new county under the provisions of this part; and (g) if the proposed new county is to be an existing county enlarged by territory taken from one or more other counties, a request that this territory be added to the proposed new county under the provisions of this part. (2) Each person shall sign the person's name and address in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registry card or the signature will not be counted. (3) Numbered lines must be provided for signatures. Each numbered line must contain spaces for the signature, the printed last name of the signer, and the signer's address. (4) The signatures are not required to all be appended to one paper but may be signed to several petitions, which must be similar in form. When signed, the several petitions may be fastened together and must be treated and presented as one petition. (5) Before a petition may be circulated for signatures, a sample petition must be submitted to the county election administrator in the form in which it will be circulated for approval as to form. The county election administrator shall refer a copy of the sample petition to the county attorney, who shall review the sample petition to ensure compliance with the requirements of this part. The county attorney shall cooperate with and provide necessary services to the person who submitted the petition to ensure that an adequate and valid legal description is written for the proposed new county boundaries. If the petition is rejected as to form, the county election administrator shall within 10 days after submission of the sample send written notice to the person who submitted the petition. If the petition is approved as to form, the election administrator shall within 21 days after submission of the sample send written notice to the person who submitted the petition. After that notice, the petition may not be challenged except with regard to the number and validity of signatures appended to it. (6) All petition signatures must be collected and filed within 120 days of the date of the notice that the petition has been approved as to form.