SJ Howell

SJ Howell (born 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.

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."

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.

Howell was announced to run for the 95th district in February of 2022. Howell ran uncontested in the Democratic primary, guaranteeing their spot to run against Republican opponent Lauren Subith. In the general election, Howell would manage 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.

2023 legislative session
In January of 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. They introduced four bills total, one of which passed out of committee, but all were ultimately voted down by the Republican party’s supermajority.

In April of 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. 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.

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