Montana Politics

Some of Montana’s largest counties are rejecting more ballots than usual this election. A new requirement is tripping up voters. State law now requires mail-in voters to write their birth year in addition to their signature.

Montana’s top education official this month sent a letter to schools telling them to “stay compliant” with state and federal laws. The letter from Superintendent of Public Instruction Susie Hedalen references concerns schools are teaching diversity, equity and inclusion and gender identity. But it stops short of explaining what prompted those concerns. MTPR’s Austin Amestoy spoke with the Superintendent to learn more.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that it’s partially reopening local offices that help farmers get federal financial support. That’s happening as Montana’s farmers say they’re on the brink of disaster.

This week on The Big Why, we’re exploring Montana’s 56 counties. A listener from Billings wants to know how they got their shapes. Finding the answer led MTPR's Austin Amestoy down a rabbit hole where he found a saga of boom and bust, backroom dealing and an unlikely folk hero.

Federal food benefits for low-income Americans won’t be available next month. Federal officials say funding has run dry because of the government shutdown.

The president of the Montana Public Service Commission has been stripped of his leadership title amid allegations of misconduct.

Ballots are on their way to voters’ mailboxes. Local elections around the state will take place November 4.

Protestors in cities and small towns across Montana turned out for "No Kings" rallies, including in Billings, Bozeman, Dillon, Fort Benton, Helena, Hamilton, Kalispell, Lewistown and Missoula.

Congress has voted to overturn part of the federal management plans for millions of acres of BLM lands in eastern Montana. The development of the Miles City plan involved mineral owners, industry groups, landowners, ranchers, farmers, hunters and 17 tribal nations.

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed last month at a Turning Point USA event in Utah on a nationwide tour of college campuses. But the tour is continuing as planned. That included a stop at Montana State University Tuesday night.