HomeMy WebLinkAboutLocal Govt Center Voter ReviewLOCAL GOVERNMENTS CONDUCTING VOTER REVIEW
2004-2006
On the June 1, 2004 primary election ballot 285,786 Montanans cast their vote on whether or
not to conduct Voter Review of their local unit of county or municipal government. Some 48 % of the
statewide voters opted to undertake Local Government Review resulting in the requirement that 13
counties and 67 muaicipalities initiate the process by electing a Study Commission at the November 7,
2004 general election. Those local jurisdictions that approved Voter Review are listed below:
County Governments
Big Horn
Brogdwa3er_
Fergus
Glacier
Lake
Mineral
Mis~oula __ _
Petroleum
Phillips
Ravalli
_Rolo s~eyel~tt
Silver Bow
Valley
Alberton
Bainville
Baker
Belgrade
Belt
Big Sandy
Boulder
Bozeman
Bridger
Broadus
Broadview
Brockton
Browning
Chinook
Choteau
Circle
Colstrip
Municipal Governments
Conrad
Culbertson
Cut Bank
Dillon
Ekalaka
Ennis
Fairview
Flaxville
Fromberg
Geraldine
Glasgow
Great Fails
Hamilton _
Hardin
Hot Springs
Hysham
Joliet
Laurel
Lavina
Lewistown
Libby
Livingston
Lodge Grass
Malta
Manhattan
Missoula
Moore
Nashua
Neihart
Poplar
Red Lodge
Richey
Ronan
Sa¢o
St. Ignatius
Stanford
Stevensville
Sunburst
Thompson Falls
Three Forks
Townsend
Twin Bridges
Virginia City
Walkerville
West Yellowstone
W~__. i_tefish
Whitehall
Wirmett
Wolf Point
AUG 4 2004
CITY OF LAUREL
What Does A Local Government Review Study Commissioner Do?
The 1972 Montana Constitution (Article XI, Sec. 9) and state law (7-3-176, M.C.A.)
require the election (or appointment as necessary) of Local Government Review Study
Commissioners in those 13 county and 67 municipal governments whose voters opted to conduct
Voter Review at the June 1, 2004 primary election.
Candidates who wish to serve on their local Study Commission must be resident electors
of the county or municipality conducting the Review and may not be a serving elected official of
the government under review. The Study Commissioner filing deadline for the November 7,
2004 general election is August 19, 2004. The Election Administrator in the County Clerk and
Recorder's office is the place to go to file for election and there is nofilingfee for this elected
office.
The typical Study Commission will consist of three (3-5) elected or appointed study
Commissioners and an ex officio non-voting member (who may be an elected official) appointed
by the local government to serve primarily as liaison with the unit of government.
The purpose of the Study Commission is to study the existing form and powers of the
local government and its procedures for the delivery of services and to compare them with other
forms available under Montana law. The results of this study must be made public as a final
report which may indicate that no change is needed or it may include a wide range of possible
recommendations to alter or amend the unit of local government. However, before any
recommendation for change can go into effect, it must be approved by the voters at a regularly
scheduled election to be held no later than the general election on November 7, 2006.
Although an uncompensated elected office (as are school board trustees) a Study
Commissioner is a representative of the people who will, upon election or appointment, take an
oath of office.
A Local Government Review Workshop covering all aspects of the Voter Review process
will be conducted for all Study Commissioners atthe MSU-Bozeman campus on December 16-
17, 2004. A modest registration fee will be charged for materials and breakfast but each Study
Commission will have an approved budget that should cover this and the related travel expenses.
Questions concerning Montana's unique Local Government Review Process, its
procedures and the outcomes from the three previous cycles of Voter Review may be directed to
the Local Government Center at Montana State University-Bozeman.
Phone: 994-5163
FAX: 994-1905
E-mail: upojm~montana.edu