Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-2-2703. Processing of petition--certification to county commissioners

(1) It is the duty of the election administrator, within 30 days after the filing of the petition, to examine it and to ascertain and determine from the registration records of the county whether the petition is signed by the required number of registered electors. The election administrator may be authorized by the board of county commissioners to employ additional help in the administrator's office to assist in the work of examining the petition, and the board shall provide for their compensation.

(2) When the examination is completed, the election administrator shall attach to the petition the administrator's certificate, properly dated and signed, showing the result of the examination. If the certificate shows that the petition is signed by the required number of registered electors, the election administrator shall present the petition to the board at its first regular meeting after the date of the certificate.