Representative SJ Howell Contact information

SJ Howell, born on July 3, 1980, is an American politician who represents Missoula in the 95th district in the Montana House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, Howell was elected in the 2022 election, making them the first non-binary person to be elected to the state legislature in Montana. Howell was sworn in as a representative on January 2, 2023.

In addition to their political career, Howell is also the executive director of Montana Women Vote, an organization that aims to engage low-income women in the democratic process as informed voters, policy advocates, and community leaders. Howell has been the executive director of Montana Women Vote since 2013, and has been an activist and lobbyist for women and the LGBTQ+ community. In 2021, Howell lobbied and spoke publicly against bills that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights saw as discriminatory.

Howell announced their run for the 95th district in February of 2022. They ran uncontested in the Democratic primary, guaranteeing their spot to run against Republican opponent Lauren Subith. In the general election, Howell managed to win over Subith by almost 2,000 votes, therefore being elected to the 95th district. With this victory, Howell, along with 100th district member Zooey Zephyr, became the first two openly transgender people to ever be elected to the Montana Legislature.

During the 2023 legislative session, Howell introduced their first piece of legislation, House Bill 238, which would have expanded the eligibility requirements for Montana’s Best Beginnings program, a child care scholarship program. Howell introduced four bills in total, one of which passed out of committee, but all were ultimately voted down by the Republican party’s supermajority.