handled form initialization

src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov.js

@@ -506,7 +506,11 @@ function toggleTwoDomElements(ele1, ele2, index) {
 
   function handleRadioButtonChange() {
       // Check the value of the selected radio button
-      let selectedValue = document.querySelector('input[name="other_contacts-has_other_contacts"]:checked').value;
+      // Attempt to find the radio button element that is checked
+      let radioButtonChecked = document.querySelector('input[name="other_contacts-has_other_contacts"]:checked');
+
+      // Check if the element exists before accessing its value
+      let selectedValue = radioButtonChecked ? radioButtonChecked.value : null;
 
       switch (selectedValue) {
           case 'True':

src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py

@@ -571,12 +571,22 @@ class YourContactForm(RegistrarForm):
 
 
 class OtherContactsYesNoForm(RegistrarForm):
-    has_other_contacts = forms.TypedChoiceField(
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        coerce=lambda x: x.lower() == 'true',
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        if self.application and self.application.has_other_contacts():
+            default_value = True
+        elif self.application and self.application.has_rationale():
+            default_value = False
+        else:
+            default_value = None
+
+        self.fields['has_other_contacts'] = forms.TypedChoiceField(
+            coerce=lambda x: x.lower() == 'true' if x is not None else None,
             choices=(
                 (True, "Yes, I can name other employees."),
                 (False, "No (We'll ask you to explain why).")
             ),
+            initial=default_value,
             widget=forms.RadioSelect
             )
 

src/registrar/models/domain_application.py

@@ -831,9 +831,9 @@ class DomainApplication(TimeStampedModel):
             DomainApplication.OrganizationChoices.INTERSTATE,
         ]
 
-    def show_no_other_contacts_rationale(self) -> bool:
+    def has_rationale(self) -> bool:
-        """Show this step if the other contacts are blank."""
+        """Does this application have no_other_contacts_rationale"""
-        return not self.other_contacts.exists()
+        return bool(self.no_other_contacts_rationale)
 
     def has_other_contacts(self) -> bool:
         """Does this application have other contacts listed?"""