Montana Election Team Celebrates Successful Election and Thanks Montana Voters
More than 180,000 Montanans participated in Tuesday’s elections, selecting local leaders in races for mayor, city commission, and other offices. Statewide voter turnout was roughly 50%, indicating strong interest in the municipal elections.
This election cycle was the first in which voters provided their signature, the day, and the year of their birth on the affirmation envelope.
The Montana State Auditor’s Office is cracking down on unfair insurance marketing practices targeting seniors.
A new advisory has been sent to all health insurance companies operating in the state, warning them to follow the law when promoting Medicare-related products. Officials say some companies have used misleading or aggressive tactics to pressure older Montanans into signing up for plans that may not meet their needs. The Auditor’s Office says protecting vulnerable consumers is a top priority, and violators could face penalties. For more information, visit csimt.gov.
Montana State Fund Awards $38.5 Million in Dividends to 22,000 Employers this year, Marking 27 Years of Payouts
Montana State Fund, the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurance company, is giving $38.5 million in dividends to the 22,000 Montana employers it covers, marking the 27th consecutive year of dividend payouts. President and CEO Holly O’Dell talked about how that’s accomplished today on Voices of Montana.
Montana State Fund President and CEO Holly O’Dell
Two Major Montana School Bonds Narrowly Pass, Affecting Property Taxes for Up to 30 Years
Two of the largest bonds ever requested by a Montana school district have narrowly passed. The Northern News Network’s Ken Adelblue reports.
Ken Adelblue
To pay off the high school bond with property taxes it’s estimated those increases would be annually for 30 years. And for the elementary bond it’s estimated to take 20 years.
DOC Says Samples Show Water Safe at Montana State Prison
The Montana Department of Corrections says water samples taken in several areas of the Montana State Prison near Deer Lodge have demonstrated that the water is safe for consumption. The findings come after the state advanced a $21 million plan to repair the prison’s water infrastructure.
A boil-water order at the prison was lifted last week. The Department of Environmental Quality will review engineering designs for the new system to ensure all standards for water treatment and design are met.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Makes Unannounced Visit to Butte
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin made an unannounced visit to the Berkeley Pit on Tuesday. Zeldin posted on X that he was in Montana with an EPA team “advancing a massive, important Superfund project in Butte” — one he called a top environmental cleanup priority. He added that the Trump administration is committed to protecting human health and the environment.
Tourism Trends in Eastern Montana Show ‘Resilience and Opportunity’
A new study from the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research shows that from 2018 to 2023, drive-through visitation in eastern Montana rose by 3%, while lodging tax revenue increased by 44%. Nonresident spending more than doubled to $1.1 billion.
Historical sites and outdoor recreation destinations emerged as top attractions in a part of the state that lacks nationally recognized destinations.
Montana Ranks 20th Among States with Largest Debt Increases — WalletHub Study
With total U.S. household debt reaching $18.59 trillion in the third quarter of this year, WalletHub released new rankings of the states with the largest and smallest debt increases. The data, based on TransUnion and Federal Reserve figures, highlight where residents may be facing the most financial pressure.
Montana ranks 20th among the states with the largest debt increases. The average household debt in Montana rose by $539 in the third quarter, reaching $158,952.
More Headlines
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Butte-Silver Bow County has allocated $183,974 from county reserves to provide food assistance for low-income families and individuals affected by the federal government shutdown. County commissioners approved the emergency measure Wednesday evening in an 11–0 vote after adding it to the council agenda.
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President Donald Trump has endorsed Montana’s two Republican U.S. Representatives for re-election in 2026. Ryan Zinke is serving his second term representing the state’s western district, while Troy Downing was first elected to represent the eastern district last November.
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Federal surveyors are back on the ground at Lookout Pass, working to verify the official boundary between Montana and Idaho after decades of local uncertainty about whether the state line may have shifted. The Bureau of Land Management crews’ work is funded by the Montana Department of Revenue.
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Construction continues on the new Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital in downtown Billings. The project now involves several mobile crawler cranes, including the Manitowoc 16000 currently on site. Structural steel installation begins this month and will continue for the next 18 months, with a “topping-off” ceremony anticipated in February 2027.
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“Operation Green Light” is illuminating Lewis and Clark County buildings in Helena through November 11 to honor veterans. Officials say the county is participating in the national initiative by replacing standard bulbs with green ones in recognition of Veterans Day.
