Election Edition 2021

This year marks an election year where the people of Bozeman and Belgrade get to decide who represents us and our interests on the city council and the mayor’s office. Also included in this year’s ballot are a number of local initiatives and levies that would impact the Bozeman, Belgrade and Gallatin Valley communities.

In this edition, the MSU Exponent had the unique opportunity to hear from the candidates running for local office in Bozeman and Belgrade. The offices these candidates are running for are non-partisan, meaning they do not belong to any of the national parties. We interviewed all the candidates in the form of questionnaires. We asked candidates a range of questions so that you, the readers, could be more informed about who is running for office.

MSU’s campus, and campuses all over the state and nation, have been bombarded with campaigns and organizations aiming to register students to vote. Students are part of a demographic that is important to candidates’ success in every election.

Voting is an important civic duty, as it allows us to make our voices heard and hold elected officials accountable. According to the Gallatin County Election Department, only 39.17% of registered voters participated in the 2019 Bozeman municipal election.

This year, voting couldn’t be easier in Bozeman. Every registered voter was sent a mail-in ballot in Gallatin County to fill out and return for free by mail or drop-off at ballot drop boxes.

It is our hope at the Exponentthat you will find this information helpful when filling out your ballot.

The responses featured in the print edition are only excerpts of the candidates’ full questionnaires. To view their full responses, please visit the corresponding articles posted for each race

You’ll find endorsements for Bozeman’s mayoral campaign and four-year city commission seats on page 11 of this edition. To hear the editorial board’s interviews with each of the candidates for these races, visit this Box folder (no sign-in required): https://montana.box.com/s/vlwlmbtizlgxsabsbcdwnn2a9opekzfz

If you have any questions about voting in this year’s municipal election, visit the Gallatin County Election Office in the Gallatin County Courthouse at 311 W. Main St. or its website at https://gallatincomt.virtualtownhall.net/election-department.