Gallatin County · Election Day November 3, 2026
How to vote on the Bozeman city charter
There is no “yes” and no “no” on this question. Both options begin with the word FOR, and there is no measure number to look for. Here is exactly what the ballot says and exactly which oval does what.
The exact wording
What the charter question actually says
This is reproduced verbatim from Gallatin County’s published official sample ballot for November 3, 2026. The charter question appears on all 25 City of Bozeman precinct ballot styles, in identical wording and identical order.
Ballot Issues, City of Bozeman
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE EXISTING CHARTER FORM OF GOVERNMENT
(VOTE IN ONE OVAL)Vote for one:
◯ FOR the existing charter established in 2006.
◯ FOR adoption of the amended charter proposed for the City of Bozeman by the City of Bozeman Local Government Study Commission in 2026.
That is the whole question. There is no “Shall the City of Bozeman…” sentence, no explanatory statement, and no ballot number or letter. On a ballot that also carries CI-132, CI-133 and I-194, this measure has no designation at all. You find it by its caption.
Which oval does what
| If you fill | The ballot text | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| The first oval | “FOR the existing charter established in 2006.” | The 2026 draft is not adopted. The 2006 charter stays in force. The three sub-options have no effect regardless of how they are marked. |
| The second oval | “FOR adoption of the amended charter proposed for the City of Bozeman by the City of Bozeman Local Government Study Commission in 2026.” | The 2026 draft is adopted, including Article VIII. It would take effect July 1, 2027. Any sub-options that pass are written into it. |
Why the wording is confusingBoth options begin with FOR. There is no “against,” no “no,” and no number. That format comes from Montana’s local-government-review statute, not from anyone’s campaign. Filling the first oval is not an endorsement of the 2006 charter. It is the only way the ballot lets you decline the 2026 replacement.
This campaign asks you to fill the first oval. We explain why on the Article VIII page, and we set out what the draft gets right on the page about that.
Key dates
Most of this is decided in October
Gallatin County mails ballots to absentee voters nearly a month before Election Day. If you are on the absentee list, your charter vote is probably cast in October.
- Registration closes
- Oct 55 p.m. on October 5, 2026. After that, registration is in person only.
- Ballots mailed
- Oct 9Gallatin County mails ballots to absentee voters on October 9, 2026.
- Late registration closes
- Nov 2Temporary close of late registration at 12 p.m. (noon) on November 2, 2026.
- Election Day
- Nov 3Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election Day registration is available 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
All four of these are as published by the Gallatin County Elections Department for the November 3, 2026 general election. Polling places are open on Election Day and Election Day registration is available. This is not an all-mail election, but ballots do go out to absentee voters on October 9.
Registering and voting
Where to go, and what the county requires
Registering after October 5
If you miss the 5 p.m. October 5 deadline you can still register, but you must appear in person. Gallatin County lists these late registration and absentee ballot service locations:
| Location | Address | Dates and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Gallatin County Election Department | 311 W. Main St., Rm 210, Bozeman, MT 59715 | Oct 6–30: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon Nov 2: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. (noon) Tue Nov 3: 7 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| MSU Strand Union Building | 751 W. Grant St., Fireplace Room, Bozeman, MT 59715 | Oct 13–30: 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon Nov 2: 9 a.m.–12 p.m. (noon) Tue Nov 3: 7 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| West Yellowstone Town Hall | 440 Yellowstone Ave., West Yellowstone, MT 59758 | Oct 5 & Oct 6: 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2 p.m.–6 p.m. |
| BASE Community Center | 285 Simkins Dr., Big Sky, MT 59730 | Oct 7 & Oct 8: 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2 p.m.–6 p.m. |
| Three Forks Community Library | 607 S. Main St., Three Forks, MT 59752 | Oct 13 & Oct 14: 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2 p.m.–6 p.m. |
| Manhattan Town Hall | 207 S. 6th St., Manhattan, MT 59741 | Oct 15 & Oct 16: 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2 p.m.–6 p.m. |
| Belgrade Library and Community Center | 205 East Main St., Belgrade, MT 59714 | Oct 19–21: 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2 p.m.–6 p.m. |
The charter question is a City of Bozeman measure, so the two Bozeman locations are the relevant ones for city voters. The others are listed because the county lists them.
Returning your ballot
Ballot drop-off sites and your assigned polling place are voter-specific, so we are not going to print a list and risk being wrong. Gallatin County publishes both through Montana’s My Voter Page, which also lets you confirm your registration, check your ballot’s status and view your own sample ballot.
My Voter Page: find your polling place, drop-off sites and ballot status →
Year of birth, HB 719 (2025)
“This law requires voters to provide their year of birth in addition to their signature when returning their by-mail or absentee ballot.”
Why it matters: Gallatin County warns that a missing birth year will cause a ballot to be rejected, and that it must be supplied by 5 p.m. the day after the election for the ballot to count (MCA 13-13-245 and 13-19-313). The county mails a rejection notice and tries to reach voters, but the simplest fix is to fill it in when you sign. The county urges voters to check their ballot status on My Voter Page.
Gallatin County Elections Department, Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., Room 210, Bozeman, MT 59715. Phone 406-582-3060. Office hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Further down the ballot
Three sub-options, and we take no position on them
Below the charter question your ballot carries three more City of Bozeman questions. They decide how the city commission would be sized and elected, but only if the amended charter is adopted.
Proposed Suboptions in the Amended Charter
“In addition to voting on the amended charter, voters will decide on three separate sub-options. These will only apply if the amended charter passes by an affirmative vote.”
What that means in practice: if the first oval wins and the 2026 charter is not adopted, the sub-options have no effect no matter how they are marked. You may still vote on them. Many voters will want to, in case the charter passes.
| Sub-option | Question | Choices |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Size of the commission | Four commissioners and the mayor, or six commissioners and the mayor |
| 2 | Residency requirements of commissioners | Elected at-large and may live anywhere in the city, or required to reside within the ward they represent |
| 3 | Method of electing commissioners if the ward system is approved | Elected by all voters in the city, or elected only by voters registered within that ward |
Our position on the sub-optionsNone. This campaign is about one section of the base charter. Whether Bozeman should have five commissioners or seven, wards or at-large seats, is a separate and legitimate question. The sub-options explained in full →
Read it yourself
This is not an official election website
We are a ballot issue committee with a position. Everything on this page was taken from Gallatin County’s own published material and checked on September 20, 2026, but the county is the authority and you should treat it as such.
- Gallatin County Elections: official dates, deadlines and locations
- 2026 General Sample Ballots (PDF): the county’s published sample ballots, all precinct styles
- My Voter Page: your registration, ballot status, sample ballot, polling place and drop-off sites
If anything on this page conflicts with Gallatin County, the county is right and we will correct it. Our corrections policy →
Questions
Straight answers
- How do I vote against the 2026 Bozeman charter?
Fill the first oval, which reads “FOR the existing charter established in 2006.” There is no “no” option on this ballot. Both choices begin with the word “FOR,” and the first one is the one that declines the 2026 draft.
- Why does the Bozeman charter ballot have no yes or no?
The format comes from Montana’s local-government-review statute. A charter question is presented as two competing affirmative choices, one for the existing charter and one for adoption of the amended charter, rather than as a yes-or-no proposition. There is also no measure number or letter; you find it by the caption “PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE EXISTING CHARTER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.”
- When do Bozeman ballots arrive for the November 2026 election?
Gallatin County mails ballots to absentee voters on October 9, 2026. Election Day is November 3, 2026, with polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- What is the voter registration deadline in Gallatin County?
Regular registration closes at 5 p.m. on October 5, 2026. After that you may register in person only, through the temporary close of late registration at 12 p.m. (noon) on November 2, and again on Election Day, November 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Do I have to write my birth year on my Bozeman ballot?
Yes. Montana law effective October 1, 2025 requires voters to provide their year of birth in addition to their signature when returning a by-mail or absentee ballot. Gallatin County says a missing birth year causes the ballot to be rejected, and that it must be supplied by 5 p.m. the day after the election for the ballot to be counted.
- Where do I drop off my Bozeman ballot?
Drop-off sites and polling places are assigned by precinct. Look yours up on Montana’s My Voter Page at voterportal.mt.gov, which also shows your registration status, your ballot’s status and your own sample ballot.
- Do the sub-options matter if the charter is rejected?
No. The ballot states that the three sub-options “will only apply if the amended charter passes by an affirmative vote.” If the amended charter is not adopted, the sub-options have no effect. This campaign takes no position on them.