13-10-507. Independent candidates -- association with political parties not allowed. (1) A person seeking office as an independent candidate may not be associated with a political party for 1 year prior to the submission of the person's nomination petition.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), "associated with a political party" means having run for office in Montana as a partisan candidate or having held a public office in Montana or a precinct committee representative office in Montana with a political party designation.