Montana Code Annotated
Part 1. General Provisions
7-3-149. Election on alteration of form of government

7-3-149. Election on alteration of form of government. (1) The governing body shall call an election on the question of an alteration of the form of government, a change in a plan of government, or, for an elected county official government, a change in the type of election proposed pursuant to 7-3-103(4) upon:
(a) the election administrator's verification that a petition filed pursuant to 7-3-121 through 7-3-123, 7-3-125, and 7-3-141 through 7-3-148 meets all the necessary requirements;
(b) adoption of a local government ordinance pursuant to 7-3-103(2)(b) or (4); or
(c) a recommendation by a study commission pursuant to 7-3-192.
(2) The election must be conducted in accordance with Title 13, chapter 1, part 4.
(3) The cost of the election must be paid for by the local government.
(4) (a) The affirmative vote of a simple majority of those voting on the question is required for adoption.
(b) In any election involving the question of consolidation, each question must be submitted to the electors in the county and requires an affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast in the county on the question for adoption. There is no requirement for separate majorities in local governments voting on consolidation.
(c) In any election involving the question of county merger, the questions must be submitted to the electors in the counties affected and require a majority of the votes cast on the questions in each affected county for adoption.
(d) If the electors disapprove the proposed new form of local government, amendments, or consolidation plan, the local government retains its existing form.
History: En. Sec. 14, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 214, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 250, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 387, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 521, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 37, Ch. 49, L. 2015; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 242, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 345, L. 2019.

Structure Montana Code Annotated

Montana Code Annotated

Title 7. Local Government

Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government

Part 1. General Provisions

7-3-101. Compliance with constitution

7-3-102. Adoption of alternative form

7-3-103. Amendment of self-government charter or adopted alternative form of government -- proposed change in type of election -- election

7-3-104. Limitation on change in alternative form

7-3-105. Plan of government

7-3-106. Effect of change in government

7-3-107. through 7-3-110 reserved

7-3-111. Statutory basis for elected county official government

7-3-112. Statutory basis for county manager government

7-3-113. Statutory basis for municipal council-mayor government

7-3-114. Statutory basis for municipal commission-manager government

7-3-115. through 7-3-120 reserved

7-3-121. Purpose

7-3-122. Definitions

7-3-123. Alteration of existing forms of local government

7-3-124. Repealed

7-3-125. Petition for alteration

7-3-126. through 7-3-140 reserved

7-3-141. Permissible recommendations

7-3-142. Requirements for petition

7-3-143. Special requirements if consolidation recommended

7-3-144. Special requirements if county merger recommended

7-3-145. Special requirements if municipal disincorporation recommended

7-3-146. Filing of petitions

7-3-147. Availability of petitions

7-3-148. Publication of summary and comparison

7-3-149. Election on alteration of form of government

7-3-150. General ballot requirements

7-3-151. Treatment of suboptions for proposed alternative forms

7-3-152. Effect of adoption of new form of government or change in plan of government

7-3-153. Filing of approved plan

7-3-154. Judicial review

7-3-155. Three-year moratorium

7-3-156. Effective date of alternative form or amendment -- officers

7-3-157. General transition provisions

7-3-158. Transition provisions affecting personnel

7-3-159. Treatment of existing ordinances and resolutions

7-3-160. Election of new officials -- subsequent elections of officials

7-3-161. Organization of new governing body

7-3-162. through 7-3-170 reserved

7-3-171. Purpose

7-3-172. Purpose of study commission

7-3-173. Establishment of study commissions

7-3-174. Election dates and procedures

7-3-175. Ballot form and question

7-3-176. Election of commission members -- appointments

7-3-177. Composition of study commission

7-3-178. Term of office -- vacancies -- compensation

7-3-179. Organization of commission

7-3-180. Cooperation of study commissions

7-3-181. Conduct of business

7-3-182. Open meetings and public involvement

7-3-183. Commission powers

7-3-184. Financial administration

7-3-185. Scope of study commission recommendations

7-3-186. Study commission timetable

7-3-187. Final report

7-3-188. Special final report requirements -- consolidation or county merger

7-3-189. Special final report requirements for disincorporation

7-3-190. Supplementary reports

7-3-191. Publication of summary

7-3-192. Election on recommendation

7-3-193. Application of other sections