//Run for office · Montana

How to run for local office in Montana

Montana's statewide voter file is $1,000 a pull or $5,000 a year unlimited, and city elections run on their own odd-year September and November calendar.

Facts checked against official sources · September 9, 2026

In Montana you file for city, county, or school office with local officials, not the Secretary of State: the county election administrator takes county and municipal declarations, and the school district clerk takes trustee declarations. The Secretary of State sells the statewide voter file and vote history, and the Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) takes every campaign finance filing, including from school board and city council candidates.

Timing is what trips up first-time candidates. Municipal elections are held in odd years (a September primary only if needed, then the November general), school elections are on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May every year, and county offices ride the even-year June primary and November general. Each has its own filing window computed from its own election date.

Election authority: Montana Secretary of State, Elections and Voter Services
Voter file: Public record — anyone can obtain it · $1,000 for a single copy of the statewide file or of any extract, including the Absentee Ballot Report; $5,000 for a 365-day subscription with unlimited downloads of every extract (SOS voter file page, checked 2026-09-09; fees set by ARM 44.3.1101)
Campaign finance: CERS (Campaign Electronic Reporting System) (Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP))
How voters vote: In person, with no-excuse mail voting
Registration deadline: Regular registration closes 30 days before each election (MCA 13-2-301); a mailed application postmarked by that day is accepted for three more days. Late registration then runs in person at the county election office. The late-registration cutoff has been fought over since 2021: MCA 13-2-304 as printed says noon the day before the election, and a 2025 law (SB 490) that would have set new hours was blocked by a district court before the June 2026 primary, which the SOS said would push registration traffic to election day. Confirm current late-registration hours with your county election administrator before you plan a registration drive.
Local offices: County offices and the legislature are partisan and go through the even-year June primary. City and town offices and school trustee seats are nonpartisan and use the nonpartisan procedures in MCA Title 13, chapter 14.

Who runs elections in Montana

Montana Secretary of State, Elections and Voter Services The Secretary of State runs the statewide voter registration system, sells extracts of it (the voter file, vote history, and the Absentee Ballot Report), publishes the election calendars, and accepts filings for statewide, legislative, and multi-county offices. For a city council, county, or school board race you will mostly deal with your county election administrator or school district clerk; the SOS site is where you buy data and read the calendar.

Each of Montana's 56 counties has an election administrator (usually the county clerk and recorder) who registers voters, mails absentee ballots, runs polling places, and accepts candidate filings for county and municipal offices (MCA 13-10-201(2)(b)). School districts run trustee elections through the district clerk, though many contract the work to the county. The SOS keeps a contact list of all 56 county election administrators.

Getting the Montana voter file

The voter file is the list of every registered voter, with the fields a campaign needs to target: address, party where the state records it, and vote history. In Montana it comes from Montana Secretary of State (statewide voter file service).

Access: Public record — anyone can obtain it
Cost: $1,000 for a single copy of the statewide file or of any extract, including the Absentee Ballot Report; $5,000 for a 365-day subscription with unlimited downloads of every extract (SOS voter file page, checked 2026-09-09; fees set by ARM 44.3.1101)
Format: Two spreadsheets: the currently registered voters list and a separate voting-history file, delivered as a download link from the portal
Vote history: Included
Phone numbers: Not confirmed
Updated: The statewide system is live and changes hour to hour as counties enter data; every extract is a snapshot as of the moment you pull it. Subscribers re-download as often as they like.

Who can get it: Any individual, for noncommercial use (MCA 13-2-122). You create an Okta account on the SOS voter file portal, build the extract you want (statewide, or by county or district), and pay by Visa or MasterCard.

Permitted use: Noncommercial use only. The SOS says it cannot advise what counts as noncommercial and tells requesters to consult an attorney; campaign and political use is the ordinary use of the file.

County option: Your county election administrator must also furnish precinct registers, a current list of registered electors, mailing labels, or other extracts for noncommercial use at no more than actual cost (MCA 13-2-122(1)); for a single city or school district that is usually far cheaper than $1,000.

Vote history goes back to at least 2006 for statewide elections. Municipal, school, and special-district history is included but the SOS warns it is incomplete for some districts.
The file carries a true/false absentee indicator for each voter plus residential and mailing addresses; electors with protected addresses (MCA 13-2-115) appear by name only.
Fields and fees are set by Administrative Rule 44.3.1101; the SOS page lists no phone field, so plan on no phone numbers until you see the field list.

Whatever file you get, Culper imports it as a CSV and maps the columns for you. See how to read a voter file for what the fields mean.

Filing to run for local office in Montana

Candidates for a county, municipal, precinct, or district office voted on in only one county file a declaration for nomination, with the oath of candidacy, at the county election administrator's office; statewide, legislative, district court, and multi-county offices file with the Secretary of State (MCA 13-10-201(2)). School trustee candidates instead file a declaration of intent with the school district clerk (MCA 20-3-305). Montana uses no nominating petitions for these offices; you pay the filing fee or file the indigency documents in MCA 13-10-203.

File with: County election administrator (county and city offices); school district clerk (school trustees); Secretary of State (legislature and statewide offices)
Filing fee: $15 for offices paying $2,500 a year or less; 1% of the annual salary for city and other offices paying more than $2,500; 0.5% of salary for county offices paying more than $2,500; $10 for offices paid in fees (MCA 13-10-202). MCA 20-3-305 sets no fee for school trustees.
Petition: None for county, city, or school offices; the declaration plus the fee (or indigency documents under MCA 13-10-203) is the whole filing
Partisan?: County offices and the legislature are partisan and go through the even-year June primary. City and town offices and school trustee seats are nonpartisan and use the nonpartisan procedures in MCA Title 13, chapter 14.

Filing window: Declarations may be filed no sooner than 105 days before the election and no later than 5 p.m., 90 days before the primary election (MCA 13-10-201(7), as amended by HB 207 in 2025; the SOS 2026 calendar had filing open February 17 and close March 4 for the June 2 primary). For city offices the clock runs from the odd-year municipal primary date, the Tuesday after the second Monday in September (MCA 13-1-107), even if your city later cancels the primary for lack of candidates (MCA 13-14-115); the SOS 2021 municipal calendar computed the window the same way. For school trustees the window is 145 to 85 days before the May election day (MCA 20-3-305).

Key Montana dates
What	When	Note
School trustee filing opens (May 4, 2027 school election)	December 10, 2026	145 days before the regular school election day, filed with the district clerk (MCA 20-3-305)
School trustee filing closes	February 8, 2027	85 days before the election; write-in declarations by 5 p.m. on the 65th day, February 28, 2027 (MCA 20-3-305)
Regular school election day	May 4, 2027	First Tuesday after the first Monday in May, every year (MCA 20-20-105)
Municipal candidate filing opens (2027 city and town elections)	June 1, 2027	105 days before the September 14, 2027 municipal primary (MCA 13-10-201(7)); filed with the county election administrator
Municipal candidate filing closes, 5 p.m.	June 16, 2027	90 days before the municipal primary (MCA 13-10-201(7)); also the last day to withdraw
Municipal primary (held only if needed)	September 14, 2027	Tuesday after the second Monday in September in odd years (MCA 13-1-107); the election administrator may cancel it when candidates do not exceed the threshold in MCA 13-14-115
Regular registration closes for the November 2027 municipal general	October 3, 2027	30 days before the election (MCA 13-2-301); late registration continues in person at the county election office
Absentee ballots mailed for the November 2027 municipal general	October 8, 2027	25 days before election day, per the SOS elections FAQ
Municipal general election	November 2, 2027	First Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd years (MCA 13-1-104); the municipality pays for the election
County office filing (2028 cycle)	Varies	105 to 90 days before the June 6, 2028 primary, filed with the county election administrator (MCA 13-10-201); the SOS posts the exact dates in its 2028 candidate calendar

Indigent candidates can file without a fee using the documents described in MCA 13-10-203.
A properly completed declaration may be faxed, emailed, mailed, or delivered in person to the election administrator (MCA 13-10-201(8)).

Campaign finance rules in Montana

State-level campaign finance in Montana is overseen by Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) through CERS (Campaign Electronic Reporting System).

Where local candidates file: Every candidate for a county, city, or school office files with COPP, not with the county or city. You file a C-1A Statement of Candidate with COPP within five days of receiving or spending money, appointing a treasurer, or filing for office, whichever comes first. On the C-1A you check a box: 'B' box candidates certify they expect total contributions and expenditures of $500 or less and do not file periodic reports; 'C' box candidates file reports in CERS. Corporate and union contributions are banned (MCA 13-35-227).

Contribution limits: For county, city, and school district offices ('other public office' in COPP's table, which names all county elected officials, all city elected officials, and all school trustees), an individual or a PAC may give $470 per election, and all political party committees combined may give $2,350 per election, as of November 7, 2025 (limits are inflation-adjusted). 'Per election' means the primary and the general count separately only when the primary is contested (MCA 13-37-216(5)). State Senate candidates: $470 from an individual, $3,550 aggregate from parties. Corporations and unions may not contribute at all (MCA 13-35-227). Candidates may give their own campaigns unlimited amounts.

Reporting: COPP publishes a separate reporting calendar for each election: a candidate calendar for county candidates on the even-year June primary and November general, a school candidate calendar for the May school election, and a municipal candidate calendar for odd-year city elections. Reports are filed electronically in CERS under MCA 13-37-225 and 13-37-226; pull the calendar for your election from the COPP reporting calendars page.

The Statement of Candidate deadline is tied to activity, not to the filing window: raising or spending a dollar starts the five-day clock (COPP candidate FAQ).
Only school districts on the annual OPI list of 'Districts Required to Report' trigger full reporting for trustee candidates; COPP links the list from its reporting calendars page.

Limits and thresholds change. Treat the figures here as a starting point and confirm the current schedule with Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) before you accept a check. Our campaign finance basics guide covers the bookkeeping every local candidate needs on day one.

How voting works in Montana

In person, with no-excuse mail voting. Montana votes at polling places on election day with no-excuse absentee voting for any registered elector (MCA 13-13-201). Most Montanans vote by mail: you can ask to be placed on the absentee ballot list and receive a ballot for every election automatically (MCA 13-13-212), and many school and special-district elections are conducted entirely by mail.

Early voting: There is no separate early-voting period. In-person absentee voting is available at the county election office once ballots are ready, and late registrants must pick up their ballot in person there.
Mail ballots: County election administrators mail absentee ballots 25 days before election day to everyone on the absentee list (SOS FAQ). A ballot counts only if it is received by 8 p.m. on election day (MCA 13-13-201).
Registration deadline: Regular registration closes 30 days before each election (MCA 13-2-301); a mailed application postmarked by that day is accepted for three more days. Late registration then runs in person at the county election office. The late-registration cutoff has been fought over since 2021: MCA 13-2-304 as printed says noon the day before the election, and a 2025 law (SB 490) that would have set new hours was blocked by a district court before the June 2026 primary, which the SOS said would push registration traffic to election day. Confirm current late-registration hours with your county election administrator before you plan a registration drive.
Same-day registration: Yes

Knowing who has already voted: Buy the Absentee Ballot Report from the SOS voter file service. It is an extract of the live statewide system that tracks absentee ballot status for the current election, priced at $1,000 per pull or unlimited under the $5,000 annual subscription, which is the practical way to chase ballots through a 25-day return window; ask the Elections Division ((406) 444-9608) for the current field list before you buy. County election administrators can also furnish absentee lists at cost under MCA 13-2-122, and individual voters can check their own ballot status on the SOS My Voter Page.

Local government in Montana: what you can run for

Montana has 56 counties, each with a county election administrator (usually the elected clerk and recorder), plus incorporated cities and towns, school districts, and special districts (fire, water and sewer, irrigation, conservation). Butte-Silver Bow and Anaconda-Deer Lodge are consolidated city-counties. Many larger cities operate under self-government charters, but all municipal offices are elected on the same nonpartisan odd-year schedule.

City or town council member
Mayor
County commissioner
Clerk and recorder
County attorney
Sheriff
School district trustee
Justice of the peace
Special district director (fire, water, irrigation)

When local elections happen: Municipal officers are elected in odd-numbered years: a nonpartisan primary on the Tuesday after the second Monday in September if required, then the general on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (MCA 13-1-104, 13-1-107). School trustees are elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May every year (MCA 20-20-105). County officers are elected in even years with the June primary and November general, so a county race shares the ballot with state and federal contests and a city or school race never does.

Running your Montana campaign on Culper

Culper does not license voter data in Montana today. You upload the Montana voter file described above as a CSV, and every feature runs on it: search and lists, plain-English queries, texting and email, block walking, and volunteer coordination. Online donation processing is in development; ask about timing on the onboarding call. Your file stays in your campaign's workspace and is never shared with another campaign.

Set up your Montana campaign in an afternoon

Upload the voter file, ask for your first list in plain English, and hand your volunteers the walking app. Signup is open to candidates in every state. Pricing is set after a short call so it matches the size of the race.

Get started Book a demo

Montana questions we get asked

Where do I file to run for city council in Montana?

With your county election administrator, not the city clerk. MCA 13-10-201(2)(b) sends every county, municipal, precinct, or single-county district office to the county election administrator; only legislative, district court, statewide, and multi-county offices file with the Secretary of State. You file a declaration for nomination with the oath of candidacy and the fee ($15 if the office pays $2,500 a year or less, otherwise 1% of the annual salary, MCA 13-10-202). For 2027 Montana city elections the window opens June 1, 2027 and closes at 5 p.m. June 16, 2027, computed from the September 14 municipal primary date.

How much does the Montana voter file cost and what is in it?

$1,000 for one pull of the statewide file or any extract, or $5,000 for a one-year subscription with unlimited downloads (SOS voter file page). You get two spreadsheets: currently registered voters (with residential and mailing addresses and an absentee indicator) and voting history back to at least 2006. Any individual may buy it for noncommercial use under MCA 13-2-122. For a Montana city or school race, ask your county election administrator instead; they must furnish lists and labels at no more than actual cost.

What are the contribution limits for a school board or city council candidate in Montana?

$470 per election from an individual or a PAC, and $2,350 per election from all political party committees combined, for every county, city, and school district office in Montana as of November 7, 2025 (COPP contribution limits summary). If your primary is uncontested there is only one election for limit purposes (MCA 13-37-216(5)). Corporations and unions cannot give at all (MCA 13-35-227), and you may fund your own campaign without limit.

When are Montana city elections, and will there be a primary?

Montana municipal officers are elected in odd years, with the general on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (November 2, 2027) and a primary on the Tuesday after the second Monday in September (September 14, 2027) only 'if required' (MCA 13-1-104, 13-1-107). Under MCA 13-14-115 the county election administrator can decide a nonpartisan primary is not needed when the number of candidates does not exceed the statutory threshold, so most small-town races skip straight to November. Your filing deadline is computed from the primary date either way.

How do I find out who has already returned their absentee ballot in Montana?

Montana mails absentee ballots 25 days before election day, so the return window is where the race is decided. The SOS voter file service sells an Absentee Ballot Report extract of the live statewide system ($1,000 per pull, or unlimited pulls on the $5,000 subscription), and county election administrators can furnish absentee lists at cost under MCA 13-2-122. Confirm the report's fields with the Elections Division before buying, and re-pull it on a schedule during the window.

Can Montana voters register on election day?

Regular registration closes 30 days out (MCA 13-2-301) and late registration is handled in person at the county election office. The exact late cutoff has changed through litigation: MCA 13-2-304 as printed says noon the day before the election, and a 2025 law setting new hours (SB 490) was blocked by a court before the June 2026 primary, with the SOS warning of election-day lines as a result. Before you tell a Montana supporter they can register on election day, call the county election administrator and ask what hours apply to the election you are in.

Do Montana school board candidates have to file campaign finance reports?

Every Montana candidate for a school, city, or county office files a C-1A Statement of Candidate with the Commissioner of Political Practices within five days of raising or spending money, naming a treasurer, or filing for office. If you certify on the C-1A that you expect to raise and spend $500 or less (the 'B' box), you file no periodic reports; otherwise you report in CERS on the school candidate calendar COPP publishes for the May election. School trustees file their candidacy itself with the district clerk between 145 and 85 days before the May election (MCA 20-3-305).

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Sources

Facts on this page were checked against the official sources below on September 9, 2026. Rules change between cycles; when a number here and the agency disagree, the agency is right.