Missoula, MT – Later this year, cities and towns across Montana will hold elections for mayors and other local officials, but a new bill under consideration by the Montana Legislature could significantly alter how those elections are scheduled starting in 2025.
House Bill 221, introduced by Rep. Lukas Schubert, a Republican from Kalispell, seeks to shift municipal elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, aligning them with the federal and state election cycles. The bill, which has already passed the House by a vote of 57-42, has garnered support primarily from Republicans and faced opposition from most Democrats. It is now under consideration in a Senate committee.
Schubert, the bill’s sponsor, argues that the change will encourage higher voter turnout in local elections. “I think it’s just a commonsense measure,” Schubert said. “Aligning municipal elections with the federal and state election cycle gives more people an opportunity to vote and increases participation in local government.”
If the bill passes, municipal elections will still occur this year, but the winners’ terms would only last one year. These positions would then go up for election again in 2026 under the new even-year schedule. Special elections would also be held in 2026 and 2028 to adjust the terms of officials whose terms would normally expire in 2027 and 2029, bringing them in line with the new election cycle.
Potential Impact on Local Elections
The cities of Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, Kalispell, Great Falls, and Helena are all scheduled to elect mayors in 2025. One local official, Joe McKenney, a city commissioner in Great Falls, voiced concerns that shifting municipal elections to even-numbered years could make it harder for local candidates to gain attention. McKenney, first elected in 2021 for a four-year term, explained that with so many candidates on the same ballot, local races could easily be overshadowed by the high-profile federal and state elections.
“There’s only so many billboards, there’s only so many bench signs, there’s only so many radio spots,” McKenney said. “When all of these hundreds of candidates are on the same ballot, how do we get our message out?”
Despite these concerns, Schubert believes the change would not result in local issues being overlooked. “Putting municipal elections in even-numbered years doesn’t prevent voters from paying attention to local candidates,” Schubert said. “Local races are distinct from federal ones, and this change would give more people the chance to vote.”
Success Stories from Other Cities
Two Montana cities, Butte and Anaconda, already hold municipal elections during even-numbered years due to their consolidated city-county governments. Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher, who was re-elected in November during the presidential election, believes the overlap with federal elections helps raise awareness for local races.
“It brings more attention to it when it’s a federal and state election as well,” Gallagher said. “Sometimes, people don’t know much about local elected officials, and holding the election alongside federal elections helps get people to pay attention.”
The data backs up this claim. Voter turnout in Butte-Silver Bow and Anaconda-Deer Lodge County during the 2024 general election reached 81% and 76%, respectively, both significantly higher than voter participation in municipal elections in odd-numbered years. For instance, in 2023, Gallatin County reported just 33% turnout in its municipal general election.
The Path Forward
Despite the higher turnout in counties with even-year municipal elections, some fear that shifting local races to even-numbered years will still have drawbacks, particularly for candidates who may struggle to compete for voters’ attention amidst a crowded ballot.
Schubert remains optimistic that the bill has a better chance of passing this year. He believes that support from the Montana Secretary of State’s office could help ensure the bill’s success after a similar proposal stalled in the House in 2023.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether the changes proposed by HB 221 will take effect in 2025 or if local elections in Montana will continue to follow their current schedule in odd-numbered years.
