Montana's general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and polls close at 8 p.m. Alongside the statewide races and ballot issues, voters in three parts of Eastern Montana face local questions: a public safety levy in Miles City, a proposal to elect Dawson County officials without party labels, and a choice between two forms of city government in Colstrip. Each question appears only on the ballots of voters inside the city or county that referred it, and VoteMT.gov shows each voter's own sample ballot and absentee ballot status.
Voting and returning a ballot
Absentee ballots "must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day," according to the Montana Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State's office says voters can return them in person directly to their local election officials.
Polling places stay open until 8 p.m. Most open at 7 a.m.; polling places with fewer than 400 registered voters, not counting absentee voters, may open later but no later than noon, according to the state's 2026 election calendar. The same calendar says that, under a court order, registration is available until 8 p.m. on Election Day, and that late registrants get their ballot in person at the location their county election administrator designates.
At the polls, election workers ask for current photo ID, such as a driver's license or REAL ID, a Montana state ID card, a tribal photo ID, a military ID or a U.S. passport. The state's voter ID page lists the full set of accepted IDs and the alternatives for voters who do not have one, and says voters without ID should contact their county election official about provisional voting. The Secretary of State's elections help line is 406-444-9608.
Custer County
The Custer County election office is at 1010 Main St., Miles City, 406-874-6059; late registration is in Suite 22.
Miles City public safety levy
Voters inside Miles City decide a public safety mill levy that the Miles City Council sent to the November ballot, the Miles City Star reported, to pay for police and animal control vehicles and equipment. The levy amount, the number of mills and its length are printed on Miles City voters' sample ballots.
Dawson County
The Dawson County election office is at 207 W. Bell St., Glendive, 406-377-3058.
Nonpartisan county elections
All Dawson County voters decide whether elected county officials should be chosen in nonpartisan elections, a change to the county's plan of government proposed by the Dawson County Study Commission. The question on the county's certified ballot notes that county elections are now partisan and says the proposed change "would provide that elections for elected county officials be conducted on a nonpartisan basis."
Voters mark one of two choices: for nonpartisan elections for elected county officials, as proposed by the study commission, or for the existing partisan elections. If the change does not receive a majority of the votes cast on the question, the existing plan of government stays in effect, the ballot says.
Candidates for county offices would no longer run with party labels; state and federal offices would stay partisan, the Glendive Ranger-Review reported. The commission approved its ballot language 4-0 in February, the paper reported.
Rosebud County
The Rosebud County election office is in Forsyth, 406-346-7318.
Colstrip city government
Colstrip voters choose between adopting a charter amendment from the Colstrip Local Government Review Commission and keeping the current charter, the Independent Press reported. The amendment would create a city manager position, shift administrative duties from the mayor to the manager and add a seat to the city council.
Prairie, Wibaux and Treasure counties
Voters in these counties can see everything on their own ballot at VoteMT.gov or by calling their county election office: Prairie County in Terry, 406-635-5575; Wibaux County in Wibaux, 406-796-2481; and Treasure County in Hysham, 406-342-5547, option 3. Contacts for all six counties are on the Secretary of State's election administrator list.
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