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Voters in Gallatin County overwhelmingly rejected on November 5 a proposed increase to the local option motor vehicle tax.
In the final unofficial results posted by the Gallatin County Elections Department, the measure that would increase the current tax from .5% to .7% is failing by a vote of 41,957 to 21,175.
Earlier this year, officials said about 70% of the tax generated goes to support Gallatin County operations, with "roughly 30% going to the county's general fund, 30% going to the public safety fund, and 10 % going to road infrastructure." The remaining 30% is distributed based on population to incorporated cities and towns, including Three Forks.
The .5% tax generated $11.26 million during the last fiscal year. At .7%, it would have generated an additional $4.5 million.
According to county officials, if the increase were successful, the county's portion of the additional revenue would be dedicated to road infrastructure.
In other results, incumbent Democrat Gallatin County Commissioner Scott MacFarlane (District 3) was reelected. MacFarlane finished with 31,272, defeating Republican challenger David Dickey, who finished with 27,117 votes.
Voters in Gallatin County also selected seven residents to serve on the local government study commission.
In June, Gallatin County residents voted 13,700 to 11,094 to commission a study of county government.
According to the Gallatin County Commission, the study commission will study the county government's existing form, powers, and delivery of public services and compare those with other forms of government available under state law.
The seven elected were Jeff Kraus (23,298 votes), Steve White (18,304), Jackie Haines (17,422), Donald Seifert (14,691), Klaas Tuininga (14,382), EJ Porth (13,926), and Janae Hagen (13,846).
Earlier this year, Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown said the study commission would work from January 2025 to June 2026.
"If they recommend changes, those would be proposed to the County Commission in 2026, and the County Commission would then decide whether to put those changes on the ballot in front of voters in 2026," Brown said.
In Montana House District 69, Republican Ken Walsh ran unopposed and finished with 6,052 votes. In House District 77, Republican Jane Gillette defeated Democrat Jeremiah Dawson by a vote of 5,335 to 1,446.
In Senate District 35, Republican Tony Tezak ran unopposed and finished with 11,372 votes.
