Frenchtown, Montana Public Records

Montana residents can register to vote online through the Secretary of State's My Voter Page at https://sosmt.gov/elections/vote, which also displays registration status, sample ballots, and absentee ballot tracking. Registration deadlines fall at noon the day before Election Day for in-person registration at the Missoula County office, or require postmarking 30 days before the election for mail-in registration. Same-day registration remains available at polling places and election offices with proper identification. Acceptable forms of ID include a Montana driver's license, tribal ID, student ID from a Montana institution, or documents like current utility bills, bank statements, paychecks, government checks, or other government documents showing name and current address. As an unincorporated community, Frenchtown does not conduct separate municipal elections for mayor or city council. Instead, residents participate in Missoula County, state, and federal elections. The community does elect trustees for the Frenchtown Rural Fire District and school board members for both Frenchtown K-6 and Frenchtown High School districts, with these elections typically scheduled for May. Precinct assignments determine where voters cast ballots, and this information is available through the Montana My Voter Page at https://sosmt.gov/elections/vote or by contacting the County Election Department directly. Since 2021, Montana has operated as a universal mail ballot state, automatically sending every registered voter a ballot for each election, though in-person voting options continue at election offices and select polling locations. Completed ballots can be returned by mail if postmarked by Election Day, deposited in designated secure drop boxes located throughout Missoula County, or hand-delivered to the election office. Public election records in Montana cover voter registration lists, which are available for purchase for political purposes under MCA § 13-2-222, along with campaign finance reports searchable at https://cers-ext.mt.gov for state and local candidates. Additional public records include candidate filing information, precinct-level election results, and election statistics, all accessible through the County Election Office or Secretary of State. During the November 2024 presidential election, Missoula County recorded approximately 65-68% voter turnout among registered voters, with over 70,000 ballots cast countywide, a reflection of historically strong participation in the area. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature Montana's U.S. Senate race (Senator Jon Tester's seat is up in 2024; the Class I seat will be on the ballot in 2026 if vacancies occur, otherwise the next regular Senate election is 2026 for Montana's other Senate seat depending on the cycle), Montana's statewide offices including potentially the Governor (elected to four-year terms in presidential years, so next gubernatorial election is 2028), and the Montana State Legislature with all 100 House seats and half of the 50 Senate seats contested every two years. Missoula County offices on the ballot will include County Commissioners with three seats elected on staggered terms, along with County Attorney, Sheriff, Clerk and Recorder, and other county positions depending on term schedules. Voters in the Frenchtown area will also decide school board and special district positions. The Montana Commissioner of Political Practices at https://politicalpractices.mt.gov oversees campaign finance disclosure and ethics compliance for state and local races.