Should the number of county commissioners be increased from three to five?

Should some county positions be appointed rather than elected?

Should county elections be nonpartisan?

These questions and other potential changes to county government could be studied and eventually decided by voters if Flathead County’s electorate opts for an independent, citizen-led review of their local government.

The Montana Constitution requires that residents statewide get this opportunity every 10 years. Voters not only countywide but also within the cities of Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Kalispell will decide during the June 3 primary election whether or not to approve reviews of their local governments.

If voters opt for a review, the process moves forward to the general election in November, when voters would choose study commission members. City residents vote on two ballot issues — one to establish a government study commission for their city and another to vote on a study commission for the county.

The intent of the review is to give citizens a once-in-a-decade opportunity to evaluate how effective their local governments are and whether any changes are needed.

Study commissions have broad authority to examine several aspects of local government, including its form and powers, its structure and how well it provides essential services.

However, any changes to qualifications for elected officials, which are outlined in state law, can only be made through state legislative action.

Though the governing responsibilities of Montana counties have grown and changed considerably over the years since statehood, the organizational structure inside most county courthouses has not, according to Montana State University’s Local Government Center.

All but three of Montana’s 56 counties have maintained the traditional “commission” form of county government detailed in Montana’s first constitution adopted in 1889. This form of county government probably originated in Pennsylvania in the late 1600s and has remained relatively unchanged, according to the most recent edition of “Montana’s Local Government Review” compiled by the Local Government Center.

Montana’s version of this widely used form of county government includes three county commissioners who are nominated by district (wherein they must reside) and elected at large on a partisan ballot for six-year, overlapping terms of office.

The 1972 Montana Constitution empowers citizens to alter and simplify this traditional form of county government but, despite four rounds of Montana’s constitutionally mandated local government review process, few counties have opted to do so, the Local Government Center said.

Butte-Silver Bow and Anaconda-Deer Lodge, each with a self-governing charter and an elected executive form of consolidated city-county government, are two notable exceptions.

Flathead County’s resolution calling for the local government review to be on the ballot stipulates no more than 1 mill, or about $240,000, may be spent on the study.

In 2004, Whitefish was the only local government where voters favored a review and accompanying levy. Columbia Falls and Kalispell voters turned down the opportunity for a local review in 2004, and Flathead County voters overwhelmingly rejected it.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.