Missoula County, MT · General Election

A U.S. Senator writes and votes on federal law, taxes, and spending, and confirms federal judges and executive appointees. For Montana the seat also shapes federal policy on public lands, energy, agriculture, health coverage, and immigration. One of two senators representing all of Montana, for a six-year term.

A U.S. Representative writes and votes on federal law, taxes, and spending, and the House starts every tax and budget bill. Montana's 1st Congressional District covers the western part of the state, including Missoula. Elected every two years.

The Montana Public Service Commission sets the rates and service rules for investor-owned utilities, including NorthWestern Energy's electricity and natural gas, and regulates some water and transportation services. Its five commissioners, elected by district to four-year terms in partisan races, decide how much customers pay for new power plants and transmission lines. Only part of Missoula County is in District 5.

The Montana Supreme Court is the state's highest court: seven justices elected statewide in nonpartisan races to eight-year terms. It has the final word on the Montana Constitution, including its right of privacy, which the court has read to protect abortion access, its right to a clean and healthful environment, and the powers of the Legislature, governor, and courts. It also hears criminal appeals and supervises every court in the state.

District judges are Montana's general trial judges, hearing felony cases, civil lawsuits, divorce and custody cases, and probate. The 4th Judicial District covers Missoula and Mineral counties, and judges serve six-year terms. A judge who runs unopposed stands for retention: voters decide yes or no on keeping the judge for another term.

Justices of the peace run Missoula County Justice Court, which hears misdemeanor and traffic cases, small claims and smaller civil cases, and requests for protective orders. They are elected countywide in nonpartisan races; a justice who runs unopposed stands for retention on a yes-or-no vote.

Justices of the peace run Missoula County Justice Court, which hears misdemeanor and traffic cases, small claims and smaller civil cases, and requests for protective orders. They set bail and sentence people convicted of misdemeanors. Elected countywide in nonpartisan races.

A Montana state senator helps write the two-year state budget and tax law and votes on laws covering schools, Medicaid, abortion, guns, elections, energy, and public lands. The Legislature meets for up to 90 days every odd-numbered year; two-thirds of each chamber can override a veto, and two-thirds of all 150 members can put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. One of 50 senators, elected to a four-year term.

A Montana state representative helps write the two-year state budget and tax law and votes on laws covering schools, Medicaid, abortion, guns, elections, energy, and public lands. The Legislature meets for up to 90 days every odd-numbered year; two-thirds of each chamber can override a veto, and two-thirds of all 150 members can put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. One of 100 representatives, elected to a two-year term.

The three Missoula County commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax levies, set land-use and zoning rules outside city limits, and oversee roads, public health, parks, and other county services. They also decide which county levies and bonds go before voters. The seat is for District 1, but every Missoula County ballot carries it, so the whole county votes.

The Clerk and Recorder / Treasurer records deeds and other property documents, issues birth and death certificates, registers and titles motor vehicles, and bills and collects property taxes for Missoula County and the other local governments that levy them. Elections are run by a separate county department. Elected in a partisan race to a four-year term.

The Sheriff / Coroner runs the Missoula County jail, patrols areas outside city limits, serves warrants and court papers, and oversees search and rescue; as coroner, the office investigates unexplained deaths. Within state law, the sheriff sets enforcement priorities and decides how the jail works with federal immigration authorities. Elected in a partisan race to a four-year term.

The County Attorney prosecutes felonies across Missoula County and misdemeanors outside city limits, and serves as the county government's lawyer. The office decides what to charge, when to offer diversion or plea agreements, and which cases go to trial. Elected in a partisan race to a four-year term.

The County Superintendent of Schools handles county-level school duties, such as hearing appeals of local school board decisions, keeping school district boundary records, and supporting rural school districts. The office does not run Missoula's public schools, which have their own elected boards.

The County Auditor reviews claims against the county before bills are paid and reports on how county money is spent. Elected in a partisan race to a four-year term.

Montana elects its judges in nonpartisan races under state law, which the Legislature can change. CI-132 would write that requirement into the Montana Constitution, so putting party labels on judicial races would take another constitutional amendment. A no vote leaves the rule to state law.

Montanans can propose laws and constitutional amendments by petition, under procedures in state law: state officials review petitions and ballot statements, and courts hear challenges. CI-133 would put deadlines and protections for that process into the constitution, including 90 days to approve petitions and ballot statements, court challenges settled before ballots are finalized, no disqualifying petitions over minor technical issues, the right to withdraw a signature, and a ban on using government resources to support or oppose a ballot measure. A no vote leaves those procedures to state law.

Corporations, nonprofits, and other entities can spend money to influence Montana elections, and the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision bars governments from banning independent political spending by corporations. I-194 takes a different route: it defines the powers Montana grants to such artificial persons so they exclude contributing to candidate elections or supporting or opposing parties or ballot issues, and an entity that violates it forfeits its privileges to do business in Montana. News and editorial content, individuals, political committees, and governments are exempt.

This authorizes DeSmet School District No. 20 to borrow up to $2.4 million, repaid with property taxes over as long as 20 years, to build a track and field on City of Missoula land next to DeSmet School that the district would lease for up to 30 years. The ballot estimates the first-year tax increase at $9.58 on a home assessed at $100,000 and $28.75 on one assessed at $300,000. Only voters in the DeSmet school district decide it.