SJ Howell

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| name = SJ Howell

| state_house = Montana

| district = 100th

| term_start = January 6, 2025

| predecessor = Zooey Zephyr

| state_house2 = Montana

| district2 = 95th

| term_start2 = January 2, 2023

| term_end2 = January 4, 2025

| predecessor2 = Danny Tenenbaum

| successor2 = Zooey Zephyr

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|7|03}}{{Cite web|url=https://missoulian.com/missoula-county-house-district-95/article_42f45922-ff80-5459-8a15-05a873b10691.html|title=Missoula County House District 95|website=Missoulian|date=13 October 2022|accessdate=27 April 2023}}

| party = Democrat

| residence = Missoula, Montana, U.S.

| occupation = Political organization executive director

| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|

}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.howellformontana.com/}}

}}

SJ Howell (born July 3, 1980) is an American politician who represents Missoula in the 100th district in the Montana House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, Howell was elected in the 2022 election to the 95th district, making them{{cite news|last1=Girten |first1=Nicole |title=SJ Howell on delivering for Missoula and being the 'last transgender voice' on the House floor |url=https://www.ktvq.com/news/68th-session/sj-howell-on-delivering-for-missoula-and-being-the-last-transgender-voice-on-the-house-floor|work=KTVQ News |archive-date=March 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329193535/https://www.ktvq.com/news/68th-session/sj-howell-on-delivering-for-missoula-and-being-the-last-transgender-voice-on-the-house-floor}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Girten |first1=Nicole |date=January 2, 2023 |title='Organized and ready to do business': Montana's 68th Legislature begins with supermajority poised |work=Daily Montanan |url=https://dailymontanan.com/2023/01/02/organized-and-ready-to-do-business-montanas-68th-legislature-begins-with-supermajority-poised/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102224545/https://dailymontanan.com/2023/01/02/organized-and-ready-to-do-business-montanas-68th-legislature-begins-with-supermajority-poised/ |archive-date=January 2, 2023}} Due to redistricting, they ran for the 100th district in the 2024 Montana House of Representatives election. They were elected to this seat in the election.

Howell is also the executive director of Montana Women Vote, an organization that has the stated goal "to engage low-income women in the democratic process as informed voters, policy advocates, and community leaders."{{Cite news |last=Hansen |first=Jordan |date=February 16, 2022 |title=Nonprofit director Howell seeking HD 95 seat (Part 1) |pages=A9 |work=Missoulian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123622985/nonprofit-director-howell-seeking-hd-95/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Hansen |first=Jordan |date=February 16, 2022 |title=Nonprofit director Howell seeking HD 95 seat (Part 2) |pages=A10 |work=Missoulian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123623000/nonprofit-director-howell-seeking-hd-95/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

Career

SJ 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, they lobbied and spoke publicly against bills that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights saw as discriminatory.{{Cite web |last=Schubert |first=Keith |date=March 16, 2021 |title=Hundreds gather at Montana Capitol to oppose GOP's transgender bills |url=https://missoulacurrent.com/capitol-transgender-bills/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=The Missoula Current News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Silvers |first=Mara |date=February 24, 2023 |title='A punch in the gut when we were already down' |url=http://montanafreepress.org/2021/02/24/lgbtq-rights-montana-legislature/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=Montana Free Press |language=en-US}}

Howell was announced to run for the 95th district in February 2022. Howell ran uncontested in the Democratic primary, guaranteeing their spot to run against Republican opponent Lauren Subith.{{Cite web |last=Silvers |first=Mara |date=June 9, 2022 |title=Montana poised to elect first openly transgender lawmakers |url=http://montanafreepress.org/2022/06/09/montana-poised-to-elect-first-openly-transgender-lawmakers/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=Montana Free Press |language=en-US}} In the general election, Howell would manage to win over Subith by almost 2,000 votes, therefore being elected to the 95th district.{{Cite news |date=November 10, 2022 |title=Missoula County election results roundup |pages=A4 |work=Missoulian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123632989/missoula-county-election-results-roundup/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} 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.{{Cite news |last=Hanson |first=Amy Beth |date=December 25, 2022 |title=Transgender lawmaker hopes her presence increases understanding |pages=A14 |work=Missoulian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123635907/transgender-lawmaker-hopes-her-presence/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

= 2023 legislative session =

In January 2023, 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.{{Cite news |last=Michels |first=Holly K. |date=January 21, 2023 |title=Bill would expand access to child care scholarships |pages=A3 |work=The Montana Standard |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123638192/bill-would-expand-access-to-child-care/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite web |last=Howell |first=SJ |date=February 16, 2023 |title=SJ Howell: Lowering the cost of childcare |url=https://missoulian.com/opinion/columnists/sj-howell-lowering-the-cost-of-childcare/article_55e0f9fa-abf9-5a6a-9691-c10994638013.html |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=Missoulian |language=en}} They introduced four bills total, one of which passed out of committee, but all were ultimately voted down by the Republican party’s supermajority.{{cite web |title=Rep. SJ Howell, D-Missoula {{!}} 2023 Montana Capitol Tracker |url=https://apps.montanafreepress.org/capitol-tracker-2023/lawmakers/SJ-Howell/ |website=Montana Free Press |access-date=28 April 2023}}

In April 2023, Zooey Zephyr, a transgender woman elected to the Montana House of Representatives along with Howell, was criticized on the floor by Republican majority leader Sue Vinton after speaking out against Senate Bill 99, a bill that would prohibit gender-affirming medical and surgical care for transgender minors. After protests in support of Zephyr on April 24, Howell publicly expressed support for Zephyr. In response to comparisons made by Republican House Speaker Matt Regier between Howell and Zephyr, Howell rejected the role of "barometer of the trans community", saying that "I will not be the ‘good’ trans person" compared to Zephyr.{{Cite web |last=Girten |first=Nicole |date=April 25, 2023 |title='Let her speak': Protesters scream, arrests follow after speaker doesn't recognize Zephyr |url=https://idahocapitalsun.com/2023/04/25/let-her-speak-protesters-scream-arrests-follow-after-speaker-doesnt-recognize-zephyr/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=Idaho Capital Sun |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Szpaller |first=Keila |date=April 27, 2023 |title=Republicans say Montana 'deserves better,' but Zephyr said 'decorum' used as 'tool of oppression' |url=https://dailymontanan.com/2023/04/26/republicans-say-montana-deserves-better-but-zephyr-said-decorum-used-as-tool-of-oppression/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=Daily Montanan |language=en-US}} After a group of House Republicans demanded Zephyr be censured, the House introduced a motion to ban Zephyr from the floor and other parts of the Capitol under the control of the House. Howell was one of the three Democrats permitted to speak in support of Zephyr on the motion, which nonetheless passed on a straight party line vote.{{cite web |title=Montana transgender lawmaker barred by GOP from House floor |url=https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/ap-top-news/2023/04/26/montana-transgender-lawmaker-faces-censure-or-expulsion |website=www.baynews9.com |access-date=28 April 2023 |language=en}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change|title=2022 Montana's 95th House district election{{cite web |title=2022 Legislative General Election Canvas|url=https://sosmt.gov/docs/769/results/49084/2022general-statecanvassreport-legislative|website=Montana Secretary of State |access-date=April 28, 2023}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=SJ Howell|votes=3,117|percentage=74.96%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Lauren Subith|votes=905|percentage=21.77%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=J. C. Windmueller|votes=136|percentage=3.27%}}

{{Election box total no change|votes=4,158|percentage=100%}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}

{{Election box end}}

Personal life

Howell is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.

See also

References

{{Reflist}}