Every office
Every public office in Montana
From the U.S. Senate to the local cemetery board. Open any card to see what the job involves, how much time it takes, what it pays and how to get there.
Federal
Montana's voice in Washington: two U.S. Senators and two U.S. Representatives.
U.S. Senator
Details2 seats, statewide. Writes federal law, passes the budget and confirms judges and cabinet members.Full-timeSalariedPartisanFile for $1,740
What the job involves
Senators write and vote on federal laws, approve the federal budget, ratify treaties and confirm the President's nominees, including federal judges. The week is split between committee hearings and votes in Washington and time back home meeting Montanans and helping them with federal agencies.
Official resources
U.S. Representative
Details2 districts (western and eastern Montana). Writes federal law, starts tax and spending bills, and runs offices that help Montanans with federal agencies.Full-timeSalariedPartisanFile for $1,740
What the job involves
Representatives write and vote on federal laws, and every tax and spending bill has to start in the House. They serve on committees, vote in Washington, and run district offices that help people untangle problems with Social Security, the VA, passports and other federal agencies.
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Statewide
Elected by the whole state (or a large district) to run Montana's executive offices and regulate utilities.
Governor (with Lieutenant Governor)
Details1 seat, statewide, run as a team. Runs the executive branch, proposes the budget, signs or vetoes bills and appoints hundreds of people.Full-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
The Governor runs the state agencies, proposes the two-year budget, signs or vetoes every bill (including line-item vetoes on spending), appoints department heads and hundreds of board members, fills judicial vacancies from a nominee list and can call the Legislature into special session. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor run together as one ticket in both the primary and general.
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Secretary of State
Details1 seat, statewide. Montana's chief election officer, plus business filings and state records.Full-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
The Secretary of State certifies candidates and ballots, keeps the statewide voter file and oversees the county election offices. The office also registers businesses, publishes state agency rules and keeps official records. The Secretary sits on the State Land Board, which manages state trust lands that earn money for schools.
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Attorney General
Details1 seat, statewide. The state's top lawyer, heading the Department of Justice and the Highway Patrol.Full-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
The Attorney General heads the Department of Justice: the Highway Patrol, criminal investigators, the crime lab and the Motor Vehicle Division. The office gives legal opinions to state and local officials, defends state laws in court and handles criminal appeals. The AG also sits on the State Land Board.
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State Auditor (Commissioner of Securities and Insurance)
Details1 seat, statewide. Montana's insurance and investment watchdog, protecting consumers from bad rates and fraud.Full-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
Despite the name, this is mostly a consumer-protection job. The office licenses insurance companies and agents, reviews insurance rates, helps people with insurance complaints and regulates investment advisers to fight fraud. The Auditor also sits on the State Land Board.
Official resources
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Details1 seat, statewide. Leads the state office that supervises Montana's public K-12 schools.Full-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
The Superintendent leads the Office of Public Instruction, which supervises public schools, sends state and federal money to districts, licenses teachers and runs testing and school meal programs. The Superintendent sits on the Board of Public Education, the Board of Regents (non-voting) and the State Land Board.
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Public Service Commissioner
Details5 seats, one per district. Decides what private utilities can charge for electricity, natural gas and water.Full-timeSalariedPartisanFile for $1,282.60
What the job involves
The PSC regulates privately owned utilities like NorthWestern Energy and Montana-Dakota Utilities, deciding what rates they can charge and what service rules they follow. It also handles some telecom, pipeline safety and rail issues. Rate cases work like a court: hearings, evidence and written orders. Every decision shows up on your power bill.
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The Legislature
150 citizen lawmakers who meet in Helena every other winter. Part-time, close to home, and one of the most powerful places a regular person can serve.
State Representative
Details100 House districts. Writes Montana's laws and budget in a 90-day session every other winter.Part-timePaidPartisanFile for $15
What the job involves
Representatives write, debate and vote on state laws, pass the two-year budget and set state taxes. During session (January to about late April in odd years) the days are committee hearings in the morning, floor debates and votes in the afternoon, and constituents and advocates in between, mostly in Helena. Between sessions it's part-time: interim committees, town halls and helping people back home. You'll represent roughly 11,000 neighbors.
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State Senator
Details50 Senate districts (each is two House districts). Writes laws and the budget, and confirms many of the Governor's appointees.Part-timePaidPartisanFile for $15
What the job involves
Senators do everything Representatives do, plus confirm many of the Governor's appointments. Each Senate district is two House districts combined, about 22,000 people. Half the Senate is elected every two years.
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Courts
Montana's judges are elected on a nonpartisan ballot. Most of these seats require a law license.
Montana Supreme Court Justice
Details7 seats (Chief Justice + 6), statewide. Montana's highest court: decides what state laws and the state constitution mean.Full-timeSalariedNonpartisanFile for $1,737.59
What the job involves
The Supreme Court hears appeals from the district courts and writes opinions that bind every court in Montana. It also oversees lawyer licensing and discipline and runs the court system. Most of the work is reading briefs and records, hearing oral arguments in Helena and writing opinions.
Official resources
District Court Judge
Details53 judges in 22 judicial districts. Montana's main trial judges: felonies, big civil cases, divorce, custody and juvenile cases.Full-timeSalariedNonpartisanFile for $1,598.13
What the job involves
District judges run Montana's general trial courts. They handle felony criminal cases, larger civil lawsuits, divorce and custody, probate, juvenile cases and appeals from lower courts. A typical week is hearings, trials, sentencing and written rulings.
Official resources
Clerk of the Supreme Court
Details1 seat, statewide. Runs the Supreme Court's filing office and keeps its case records open to the public.Full-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
The Clerk receives appeal paperwork, checks it against court rules, files it or sends it back for fixes, and keeps the Court's records available to the public. It's an administrative job that keeps the highest court running.
Official resources
Montana's 22 judicial districts
ShowWhich counties are in each district, and how many judges each has.
| District | Counties | Judges |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Lewis and Clark, Broadwater | 4 |
| 2nd | Silver Bow | 2 |
| 3rd | Deer Lodge, Granite, Powell | 1 |
| 4th | Missoula, Mineral | 5 |
| 5th | Beaverhead, Jefferson, Madison | 1 |
| 6th | Park, Sweet Grass | 1 |
| 7th | Dawson, McCone, Richland, Prairie, Wibaux | 2 |
| 8th | Cascade | 4 |
| 9th | Teton, Pondera, Toole, Glacier | 1 |
| 10th | Fergus, Judith Basin, Petroleum | 1 |
| 11th | Flathead | 5 |
| 12th | Liberty, Hill, Chouteau | 1 |
| 13th | Yellowstone | 10 |
| 14th | Meagher, Wheatland, Golden Valley, Musselshell | 1 |
| 15th | Roosevelt, Daniels, Sheridan | 1 |
| 16th | Custer, Carter, Fallon, Powder River, Garfield, Treasure, Rosebud | 2 |
| 17th | Phillips, Blaine, Valley | 1 |
| 18th | Gallatin | 4 |
| 19th | Lincoln | 1 |
| 20th | Lake, Sanders | 2 |
| 21st | Ravalli | 2 |
| 22nd | Stillwater, Carbon, Big Horn | 1 |
Source: MCA 3-5-101 and 3-5-102.
County
County government runs the roads, the jail, the courthouse records, elections, property taxes and much more. Most county offices are on the ballot in even years.
County Commissioner
Details3 per county in most counties. The county's governing board: budget, taxes, roads, land use and appointments.Full-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
Commissioners are the county's legislative and executive branch rolled into one. They pass the budget, set county tax levies, manage county roads, buildings and property, make land-use and subdivision decisions, oversee how other county officers handle money and appoint citizens to dozens of county boards. In rural counties, commissioners often know every road and every bridge personally.
Official resources
Clerk and Recorder
Details1 per county. Keeps the county's official records and, in most counties, runs elections.Full-timePaidPartisan
What the job involves
The clerk and recorder keeps deeds, mortgages, subdivision plats and the commissioners' minutes. In most Montana counties this office is also the election administrator, handling voter registration, ballots and the count. If you care about fair elections, this is one of the most important offices in the state.
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County Treasurer
Details1 per county (combined with another office in some small counties). Collects property taxes, safeguards county money and pays out funds to schools and towns.Full-timePaidPartisan
What the job involves
The treasurer collects property taxes, invests and safeguards public money and sends funds to schools, towns and districts. In most counties the office also handles vehicle registration, so it's where a lot of residents meet county government face to face.
Official resources
Sheriff
Details1 per county. The county's chief law enforcement officer, running patrol and the county jail.Full-timePaidPartisan
What the job involves
The sheriff patrols areas outside city police coverage, runs the county jail, serves court papers and provides court security. In many counties the sheriff is also the coroner. The sheriff hires and leads deputies, and decides a lot about how the law gets enforced locally.
Official resources
County Attorney
Details1 per county. Prosecutes crimes and serves as the lawyer for county government.Full-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
The county attorney decides which criminal cases get charged and prosecutes them, advises the commissioners and other county officers, and handles civil cases for the county. It's one of the most consequential jobs in local justice.
Official resources
Clerk of District Court
Details1 per county. Runs the district court's office: case files, court papers, judgments and fees.Full-timePaidPartisan
What the job involves
The clerk of district court keeps the files for every case in the county's district court, issues court papers, records judgments and collects court fees. It's the place people come to file for divorce, start a lawsuit or look up a court record.
Official resources
County Superintendent of Schools
Details1 per county (often part-time or combined). Supports rural and small school districts with budgets, boundaries and elections.Part-timePaidPartisan
What the job involves
The county superintendent supports small and rural school districts: school boundaries, budget processes, trustee oaths and school election matters. It doesn't run any district's classrooms, but in counties full of one-room and small schools it's a lifeline.
Official resources
Coroner
Details1 per county (often combined with sheriff). Investigates sudden or unexplained deaths and determines the cause.Part-timeSalariedPartisan
What the job involves
The coroner investigates deaths that are sudden, violent or unexplained, determines cause and manner of death, and orders autopsies when needed. It takes steadiness and compassion, because you'll often be the one talking with families on their worst day.
Official resources
Justice of the Peace
DetailsAt least 1 per county. Judge of the county's justice court. You don't need to be a lawyer.Full-timePaidNonpartisan
What the job involves
Justices of the peace hear traffic tickets, misdemeanors, small claims and smaller civil cases, and handle first appearances in felony cases. For many Montanans, the JP is the only judge they'll ever stand in front of. You don't need a law degree, but you do need to pass a certification course before taking office.
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County Auditor
DetailsRequired in counties over 15,000; optional elsewhere. Reviews county bills and accounts before they're paid.Full-timePaidPartisan
What the job involves
The auditor checks county claims and accounts before money goes out the door. It's a watchdog role for people who like numbers and asking questions.
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Public Administrator
Details1 per county where the office is filled. Settles the estates of people who die with no heirs or no one to handle things.Part-timeSalariedPartisanFile for $10
What the job involves
The public administrator takes charge of estates for people who die in the county with no known heirs or no one to manage the estate, plus estates the court assigns. In many counties this role is combined with another office or filled by appointment.
Official resources
City and Town
Mayors, councils and city judges in Montana's cities and towns. Nonpartisan, elected in odd years.
Mayor
Details1 in each of Montana's 128 cities and towns (or a presiding officer in manager cities). Leads a city or town: runs departments, appoints staff and presides over council.Part-timeSalariedNonpartisanFile for $15 if the office pays $2,500 a year or less; otherwise 1% of the salary
What the job involves
In most Montana cities and towns, the mayor is the chief executive: running city departments, appointing department heads and board members with council consent, and presiding over council meetings. In the dozen or so cities with a hired city manager, the mayor's role is more about leadership and presiding. In a small town, the mayor might also be the one who checks on the water plant.
Official resources
City or Town Council Member
DetailsHundreds of seats statewide, usually two per ward. Writes local laws, adopts the budget, sets utility rates and decides zoning.A few evenings a monthSmall stipendNonpartisanFile for $15 for most seats (1% of salary if it pays more than $2,500 a year)
What the job involves
The council is a city's lawmaking body. It passes ordinances, adopts the budget and tax levies, sets water and sewer rates, decides zoning and land use, and confirms the mayor's appointments. Most meetings are a couple of evenings a month, plus reading the packet. Housing, roads, parks and local policing all run through here.
Official resources
City Judge
DetailsElected in first and second class cities; appointed in many smaller ones. Runs city court: ordinance violations, traffic tickets and misdemeanors.Part-timePaidNonpartisan
What the job involves
City judges hear city ordinance violations, traffic tickets and misdemeanors inside city limits. Like justices of the peace, they don't need to be lawyers but must be certified before taking office.
Official resources
Schools
Montana has hundreds of locally elected school boards. Elections are every May.
School Board Trustee
DetailsRoughly 400 school districts, each with 3, 5 or 7 trustees. Governs your local schools: hires the superintendent, adopts the budget and sets policy.Monthly meetingsVolunteerNonpartisan
What the job involves
Trustees hire and evaluate the superintendent, adopt the budget, set policy, negotiate with staff and decide whether to put levies and bonds before voters. School boards make some of the most personal decisions in local government, about what kids learn, how teachers are treated and what the community pays for. Meetings are usually monthly, with committee work in between.
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Special Districts
Fire, water, conservation, hospital, cemetery and other local boards. Often the easiest seat to win, and some go unfilled.
Conservation District Supervisor
Details58 conservation districts, each with 5 to 7 elected supervisors. Local soil and water stewards who permit work along streams and fund conservation.Monthly meetingsVolunteerNonpartisan
What the job involves
Conservation districts issue "310 permits" for work along streams, run conservation projects and grants, and work with landowners and federal agencies on soil and water. If you farm, ranch, fish or just love a creek, this is a seat with real influence and very little politics.
Official resources
Fire District Trustee
DetailsFive trustees per rural fire district. Runs a rural fire district: budget, levy, equipment and the volunteer department.Monthly meetingsVolunteerNonpartisan
What the job involves
Fire district trustees set the budget and levy, buy trucks and gear, and oversee the (often volunteer) fire department. In wildfire country, this board decides whether your neighbors have what they need.
Official resources
Water and Sewer District Director
DetailsFive directors per district. Runs water or sewer service outside city limits: rates, budgets and pipes.Monthly meetingsUsually volunteerNonpartisan
What the job involves
Directors set rates and budgets and plan the pipes, wells and treatment that keep water safe for homes outside city limits. Practical, important and almost always short on volunteers.
Official resources
Hospital District Trustee
Details3 or 5 trustees per hospital district. Governs a public hospital or nursing home: budget, levies and leadership.Monthly meetingsUsually volunteerNonpartisan
What the job involves
Hospital district trustees oversee a community hospital or nursing home: the budget, the levy and hiring leadership. In rural Montana, keeping the local hospital open can be the most important thing a community does.
Official resources
Irrigation District Commissioner
DetailsVaries by district. Manages canals, water delivery and assessments on irrigated land.Seasonal meetingsUsually volunteerNonpartisan
What the job involves
Irrigation district commissioners manage canals and water delivery and set assessments on irrigated land. Water is everything in much of Montana, and these boards decide how it moves.
Official resources
Local Government Study Commissioner
DetailsElected when voters call a study commission (at least every 10 years). Studies how your city or county is organized and proposes changes for voters to approve.TemporaryUnpaidNonpartisan
What the job involves
A study commission reviews how a city or county government is structured and can recommend a new charter, a manager, fewer or more commissioners, or consolidation, all subject to a public vote. It's temporary, nonpartisan and a great way to learn local government from the inside.
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Party Offices
The grassroots of a political party: precinct committee people, county central committees and the state party. This is where a party gets rebuilt.
Precinct Committee Person
DetailsTwo per party in every voting precinct in Montana. The neighborhood backbone of a party, and the easiest elected seat in Montana to win.A few hours a monthVolunteerParty office
What the job involves
Precinct committee people represent their party in their own neighborhood. They recruit volunteers, knock doors, register voters, help find candidates and vote at county central committee meetings. Two formal powers matter a lot: they elect the county party's officers, and when a legislator or county commissioner from their party leaves office, they nominate the names the county commissioners must choose the replacement from. Many precincts across Montana have nobody in these seats.
Official resources
County Central Committee and Officers
DetailsOne committee per party per county: chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer and two state committee members. Runs the local party: recruits candidates, fills vacancies and organizes the county.Monthly meetingsVolunteerParty office
What the job involves
Every precinct committee person in the county is a member of the county central committee. The committee recruits and supports candidates, raises money, organizes volunteers and voter contact, and replaces nominees who drop out after the primary. When a seat held by its party opens in the Legislature or on the county commission, the committee sends commissioners a list of three names, and the replacement must come from that list. Montana Democratic county parties elect their officers at a county convention every odd-numbered year, between April 15 and May 31. The next one is spring 2027.
Official resources
State Committeeman and Committeewoman
DetailsTwo from each county central committee. Represent your county on the state party's central committee.A few meetings a yearVolunteerParty office
What the job involves
Each county central committee elects two members of the state central committee (the Montana Democratic Party calls them "state representatives"), plus alternates. They carry the county's voice to state party meetings and vote at the state officers convention, which elects the state party chair and officers every odd-numbered year.
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City Central Committee
DetailsAutomatic in every city: the precinct committee people who live inside city limits. The party's city-level committee, formed automatically from precinct committee people.FlexibleVolunteerParty office
What the job involves
Under Montana law, precinct committee people who live inside a city's limits automatically make up that party's city central committee, and can set their own rules consistent with the county committee. It's a natural home for organizing around city council races and local issues.
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Appointed Boards
No campaign needed. Apply to serve on a state or local board, learn how government works, and build a record of service.
Governor-appointed state boards and commissions
DetailsHundreds of seats on licensing boards, councils and commissions. Help oversee everything from fish and wildlife to nursing licenses, by appointment.Part-timeVolunteerAppointed
What the job involves
The Governor appoints Montanans to hundreds of state boards and councils. Some set rules for an industry, some advise agencies, and some make real decisions about land, water, wildlife and health. Some need state Senate confirmation. No campaign required: you apply, often with a resume, a cover letter and letters of support.
Official resources
Board of Regents of Higher Education
Details7 members, including one student regent. Runs the Montana University System: tuition, programs, budgets and the Commissioner.Part-timePaidAppointed
What the job involves
The Regents supervise and manage Montana's public universities and two-year colleges: setting tuition, approving programs and budgets and hiring the Commissioner of Higher Education. Members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the state Senate. One seat goes to a current university-system student.
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City and County Boards
DetailsPlanning, zoning, library, housing, parks, health, airport, weed, tourism and many more. Shape local decisions by appointment: no campaign, no filing fee.Monthly meetingsVolunteerAppointed
What the job involves
Counties and cities appoint residents to boards that write growth plans, review subdivisions, hear zoning appeals, run libraries, oversee public housing and much more. Planning boards in particular shape what your community looks like for decades. Many small-town boards struggle to fill seats.
How to get appointed
- Watch the county or city website, the local paper and the courthouse bulletin board for vacancies.
- Go to a meeting of the board first so members know your face.
- Send a short letter of interest to the commissioners or the city clerk.
- No opening? Ask to be on the list for the next one. Partial terms open up all the time.
Official resources
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