EBS STAFF
Editor’s note: This story was continuously updated as ballots were counted. It was last updated 5/20 after election results were made official on 5/19.
Ballot boxes closed Tuesday evening, May 6, and county election offices began counting votes for the 2025 local elections in communities including Big Sky.
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Unofficial election results began rolling in at 8:15 p.m. on May 6, with a second update at 10 p.m. which the county confirmed were the final unofficial results. Those results were confirmed as final official results on Monday, May 19.
Below are the final results from Big Sky’s 2025 May election—EBS followed up to hear leaders reflect on majority “yes” votes across the ballot.
Resort tax 3% renewal through 2065
As part of the Livable Big Sky campaign, the Big Sky Resort Area District aims to renew Big Sky's 3% resort tax on luxury goods and services, as it is currently set to expire in 2032.
Cold Smoke housing bond
Cold Smoke, a proposed development led by the nonprofit Big Sky Community Housing Trust, is planned to include 264 apartments and 125 single-family homes, all deed-restricted with a mix of rent and ownership opportunities. The Cold Smoke Bond requires authorization for the Big Sky Resort Area District to use bonding to fund land acquisition and infrastructure.
Community Park infrastructure bond
Big Sky voters will decide whether to authorize Resort Tax to take on long-term debt to fund significant renovations to Big Sky Community Park. Managed by the nonprofit Big Sky Community Organization, the park has undergone partial renovation in the past couple of years, but requires additional funding to complete BSCO’s master plan.
Big Sky School District housing levy
The proposed general fund levy for the Big Sky School District aims to raise additional funds for teacher housing initiatives. If voters approve, the BSSD levy would raise property taxes—although Superintendent Dr. Dustin Shipman notes it’s a small increase. The additional $300,000 generated annually would be used to construct on-campus housing, and fund other housing initiatives for school district staff.
Firelight Meadows water and sewer district creation
Residents of the Firelight Meadows subdivision in Big Sky are voting again on whether to establish a local water and sewer district. This initiative aims to address environmental concerns stemming from the community's outdated septic systems, which are privately owned and fail to meet the Montana Department of Environmental Quality's updated treatment standards. Last year, the effort received 107 unanimous votes in support, but still fell short of the minimum threshold of registered Firelight voters.
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