Arguments filed to Supreme Court in closed-primary lawsuit

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Attorneys for Montana and the state Republican Party have filed their arguments with the U.S. Supreme Court about whether or not the GOP should allow only registered party members to vote in its June 7 primary elections.

Now it’s up to the nation’s high court to decide whether to intervene.

The Montana Republican Party and eight county central committees filed an emergency application for an injunction that would close the primaries.

The state Department of Justice filed its response on Tuesday, quickly followed by a reply by the Republicans’ attorney, Matthew Monforton.

Party officials say the open-primary system results in crossover voting and prevents them from identifying Republican voters.

State attorneys argue two lower courts have already denied the request for an injunction against the system has been in place for a century.