By Daniel Bierschwale EBS COLUMNIST
Serving on a board of a special purpose district helps shape the future of our community. Special purpose districts are local government entities that provide essential services like fire protection and water management. For the vitality and well-being of Big Sky, it is important to have a diverse and qualified set of candidates to fill these positions.
There are several open seats that will appear on the May 2024 ballot. If you are planning to run for one of these important positions, thank you for your decision and dedication to contribute to our community. Your commitment will have a direct effect on the lives of your neighbors and make an impact on all.
Here is some information to help guide you through the candidacy process.
Eligibility and commitment
Before you make the decision to run for the board of an organization that aligns with your personal interests and goals, make sure you’re eligible to hold that position. Understand what is required of you, such as term requirements or length of time a person serves in office, and be able to commit to them. Generally, candidates must be residents and registered voters within the district boundaries they seek to represent. Since election departments cannot advise candidates on their eligibility, check out Montana statute or work with the districts directly.
Candidate filing process
To officially run for a position on a special purpose district board, the candidate filing process is relatively simple. Here are the key steps:
- Obtain Filing Documents: Get the one-page form titled ‘Declaration for Nomination and Oath of Candidacy’ from the county elections office. If you miss the regular candidate filing period, you can still run on a write-in basis and would use the form ‘Write-In Candidate Declaration of Intent and Oath of Candidacy.’
- Verify Eligibility: Ensure that you meet all eligibility criteria, including residency and voter registration requirements. Any discrepancies could jeopardize your candidacy.
- Complete Filing Documents: After you’ve filled in the form, wait to sign it. Your signature must be in the presence of a notary public or an officer where the form is filed.
- Submit Filing Documents: Submit the completed filing documents within the specified filing period (see below). Missing the deadline could result in disqualification. Since the special purpose district boards are unpaid positions, there is no filing fee.
Where to file
If the district you’re running for lies solely in one county, you file at the elections office of that county. However, many local districts span two counties. Montana law says that if the district lies in more than one county, the election administrator in the county with the largest percentage of qualified electors in the district shall conduct the election. For districts such as Big Sky Fire, Big Sky County Water and Sewer, and Big Sky Resort Area (Resort Tax), that would be Gallatin County.
You can file in person or by mail by submitting original, ‘wet-ink signature’ documents to the addresses below.
Gallatin County
Gallatin County Elections Department
Gallatin County Courthouse
311 W. Main St., Room 210
Bozeman, MT 59715
Questions? Call (406) 582-3060 or email gallatin.elections@gallatin.mt.gov
Madison County
To file in person:
103 W Wallace St
First Floor
Virginia City, MT 59755
To file via mail:
PO Box 366
Virginia City, MT 59755
Questions? Call (406) 843-4270 or email clerkandrecorder@madisoncountymt.gov
Know your dates
Special purpose districts, school districts, primary and general elections all work on their own schedules. Though there are some overlapping dates, make sure you are working with the correct calendar. Special purpose district key dates are:
Candidate filing opens: Dec. 14, 2023
Candidate filing closes: Feb. 12, 2024
Deadline to file as a write-in candidate: March 4, 2024
Election date: May 7, 2024
All calendars may be found on the Montana Secretary of State website at sosmt.gov/elections/
Acclamation—not on the ballot
In some instances, the candidate filing process may result in acclamation, meaning that the number of candidates equals, or is less than, the number of open positions. When this occurs, the candidates are automatically elected, or acclaimed, to the respective positions on the board. For efficiency and practicality, the county will cancel the election since no competitive vote is needed.
Get involved
Running for the board of a special purpose district is a vital part of the democratic process. It encourages healthy competition and ensures that diverse voices and perspectives are included in decisions that directly impact Big Sky. The filing process is simple. So, hop on board and let your passion for public service make a difference in our community.
Daniel Bierschwale is the Executive Director of the Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD). As a dedicated public servant, he is committed to increasing civic engagement and voter education. Many ballot issues impact government services and public funding including subsequent property tax impacts. BSRAD is the local government agency that administers Resort Tax, which offsets property taxes while also funding numerous community-wide nonprofit programs.
