Local Government and Authority

Check Your Local Government Form

Please visit the Local Government Profiles created by the Local Government Center at Montana State University to verify your city and/or county’s form of government. The most current listing is from fiscal year 2023. 

Use the back arrow in your browser to return to the course after reviewing the Local Government Profiles.

screenshot of the Local Government center profiles webpage with arrow pointing to 2023. The linked chart has detail of forms.

Form of Government and Powers of Government in Chart

The chart includes a lot of information.  Focus on the Governmental Characteristics columns. 

You can use Control+F to search for your town name in the document:

  1. look at the acronym for form and powers
  2. then use the acronym key to confirm your local form of government

Highlight of headers in MT Local Government Profile document, magified Form of Govt and Power of Govt

Acronym Key for Chart

Here is a key to the acronyms used in the chart at the bottom of the document.

County Forms of Government
  • Charter (C)
  • COM-EX (Commission Executive)
  • COM (Commission)
  • Non Charter
  • COM (A)
  • MGR (Manager)
  • ECOF (Elected County Official Form)
Powers of Government
  • SELF (Self Government)
  • GEN (General Government)
  • Method of Election
  • P (Partisan)
  • NP (Nonpartisan)
Municipal Forms of Government
  • Charter (C)
  • MGR (Manager)
  • COM-EX (Commission Executive)
  • TM (Town Meeting)
  • Non Charter
  • MGR (A) (Manager)
  • COM-PO (Commission Presiding Officer)
  • COM-EX (Commission Executive)
  • COM-EX (A)
Powers of Government
  • SELF (Self Government)
  • GEN (General Government)
  • Method of Election
  • P (Partisan)
  • NP (Nonpartisan)