MISSOULA — Tuesday's election is mainly focused on the local level, including school levies, school boards and additional levies for things like fire departments.
MTN sat down with Missoula County Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman, who said that turnout this year has been low.
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According to their numbers at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, there had been only a 27% voter turnout, but the ballot return was sitting at 32%. The turnout is down from the previous off-year elections by about 10%.
Seaman wanted to emphasize that this election affects things at the local level and that they hope the turnout percentage will increase.
"This is a different style of election. So this is gonna be based off of your local community boards, the people who may decide whether or not your fire station is gonna be a volunteer fire station or how they fund themselves. It may be your community council."
There are 11 locations to drop off your ballot until 8 p.m. across Missoula County.
The following drop-off locations are open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6:
- Bonner Elementary School, 9045 Hwy. 200 E.
- Desmet School, 6355 Padre Lane
- East Missoula Fire Department, 300 Montana Ave.
- Frenchtown Fire Station, 16875 Marion St.
- Hellgate Elementary School, 2385 Flynn Lane
- Lolo School, 5305 Farm Lane
- Potomac Elementary School, 29827 Potomac Road
- Seeley Lake Elementary School, 200 School Lane
- Target Range Elementary School, 4095 South Ave. W.
- Russell Street between the Fairgrounds and the YMCA – Missoula (drive-thru location)
- Elections Office (Building B), 140 N. Russell St.
Same-day voter registration is also available on Tuesday. The Missoula County Elections Office is open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday and all voters in line by 8 p.m. will be served.
Missoula County
Missoula County Public Schools is seeking an elementary general fund levy that would pay for things like the art and music programs along with utilities and staff salaries. The levy was set at just under $385,000. MCPS also put a high school general fund levy to the voters at just over $164,000 to help pay for things like supplies and curriculum.
Bonner is seeking an elementary school general fund levy for just under $25,000. The district is also asking voters for a safety levy amounting to just under $25,000.
Frenchtown voters were asked to decide on a $539,000 operations mill levy, which the superintendent told MTN that rising costs are outpacing the school's budget.
Building safety was also on the ballot for Target Range, where officials were asking for $250,000 from taxpayers to pay for improvements to the school.
The Hellgate Elementary School District is asking for a $200,000 general fund levy from voters, which would be used for general operations such as salaries and utilities. The district is also asking for a nearly $272,000 safety and security levy.
DeSmet School asked taxpayers for $31,000 to address inflationary costs and utility issues, like heating.
Lolo School was asking for $97,000 for their general fund mill levy to improve academic opportunities for students.
The East Missoula Rural Fire District was asking for $300,000 to increase its operating budget.
Flathead County
Residents in Kalispell were asked to vote for a$2.9 million high school district general fund levy. A high school district levy hasn't passed in Kalispell since 2007. The levy would fund instruction and operations of Flathead and Glacier high schools. Kalispell School District Superintendent Matt Jensen told KPAX that 21 full-time positions will be eliminated if the levy fails, along with major cuts to popular programs including the Ag Center, sports, music and theater, speech and debate and more.
Whitefish Schools are also facing a budget deficit, which is why they turned to the voters this year. School officials proposed a levy of up to $100,000.
As we reported just a few weeks ago, Deer Park School in the Flathead was asking voters for $4 million. The money would replace some buildings as the school runs out of space.
West Valley Fire is asking for an almost $263,000 levy. The money would help pay for more staff and better equipment.
Ravalli County
The Hamilton School District has a $49 million bond before residents. Voters recently approved selling the middle school property. If approved, the bond creates a fourth to eighth grade campus at the current Westview property. Fourth and fifth grade students will be located in a remodeled version of the current Westview building, and sixth through eighth grades will be located in a newly constructed building. School officials say these two buildings will be connected by shared services spaces that reduce the cost of the project but still keep the age groups separate during the school day. The bond term will be 25 years.
Lake County
The Arlee School District is asking for technology levies for both the high school and elementary school. $35,000 is on the ballot for the high school district. The Arlee Elementary District had the same request at $35,000.
