Montana § 13-25-306 - Presiding Officer -- Elector Vacancy

§ 13-25-306. Presiding Officer -- Elector Vacancy

Presiding officer -- elector vacancy. (1) The secretary of state shall preside at the meeting of the electors described in 13-25-307 (1). (2) The position of an elector not present to vote is considered vacant, and the secretary of state shall appoint an individual as a substitute elector as follows: (a) if the alternate elector is present to vote, by appointing the alternate elector for the vacant position; (b) if the alternate elector is not present to vote, by appointing an elector chosen by lot from among the alternate electors present to vote who are nominated by the same political party or unaffiliated presidential candidate; (c) if the number of alternate electors present to vote is insufficient to fill a vacant position pursuant to subsection (2)(a) or (2)(b), by appointing any immediately available individual who is qualified to serve as an elector and chosen through nomination by and plurality vote of the remaining electors, including nomination and vote by a single elector if only one remains; (d) if there is a tie between two nominees for substitute elector in a vote conducted under subsection (2)(c), by appointing an elector chosen by lot from among those nominees; or (e) if all elector positions are vacant and cannot be filled pursuant to subsections (2)(a) through (2)(d), by appointing a single presidential elector, with remaining vacant positions to be filled pursuant to subsection (2)(c) and, if necessary, subsection (2)(d). (3) To qualify as a substitute elector under subsection (2), an individual who has not executed the pledge required by 13-25-304 shall execute the following pledge: "I agree to serve and to mark my ballots for president and vice president consistent with the pledge of the individual to whose elector position I have succeeded."