Editing Missoula, Montana (section)

==Government and politics==
{| style="float: right; border: 1px solid darkgrey; "
! colspan="2"|City Council<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ci.missoula.mt.us/314/City-Council |title=Missoula City Council Members |publisher=City of Missoula |access-date=August 9, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813090101/http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/314/City-Council |archive-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Szpaller2011c">{{cite news |last=Szpaller |first=Keila |url=http://missoulian.com/article_b4596560-0b4d-11e1-8b4d-001cc4c03286.html |newspaper=Missoulian |issn=0746-4495 |title=Newcomers will make Missoula City Council younger, more diverse |date=November 10, 2011 |access-date=August 9, 2015 |location=Missoula |archive-date=September 15, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915100137/http://missoulian.com/article_b4596560-0b4d-11e1-8b4d-001cc4c03286.html}}</ref>
|-
! Mayor || Andrea Davis<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mayor {{!}} Missoula, MT - Official Website |url=https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/318/Mayor |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=www.ci.missoula.mt.us}}</ref>
|-
! Ward 1
| Bryan von Lossberg/Heidi West
|-
! Ward 2
| Sierra Farmer/Mirtha Becerra
|-
! Ward 3
| Gwen Jones/Heather Harp
|-
! Ward 4
| Jesse Ramos/Jon Dibari
|-
! Ward 5
| Stacie Anderson/Julie Armstrong
|-
! Ward 6
| Julie Meritt/Michelle Cares
|-
! colspan="2"|Missoula's state delegation<br/>(Senate)<ref name="MT Senate">{{cite web |url=http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/62nd/roster.asp?HouseID=2&SessionID=105 |title=Montana Senate Roster 2011 Regular Session |publisher=Montana Legislature |access-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302162300/http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/62nd/roster.asp?HouseID=2&SessionID=105 |archive-date=March 2, 2012 }}</ref>
|-
! SD 46
| [[Sue Malek]] (D)
|-
! SD 47
| [[Dick Barrett (politician)|Dick Barrett]] (D)
|-
! SD 48
| [[Tom Facey]] (D) <!-- no election in 2012 -->
|-
! SD 49
| [[David Wanzenried]] (D) <!-- no election in 2012 -->
|-
! SD 50
| [[Cliff Larsen]] (D) <!-- re-elected in 2012 -->
|-
! colspan="2"|(House of Representatives)<ref name="MT House">{{cite web |url=http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/62nd/roster.asp?HouseID=1&SessionID=105 |title=Montana House Roster 2011 Regular Session |publisher=Montana Legislature |access-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302162226/http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/62nd/roster.asp?HouseID=1&SessionID=105 |archive-date=March 2, 2012 }}</ref>
|-
! HD 91
| [[Chuck Erickson]] (R)
|-
! HD 92
| [[Bryce Bennett]] (D) <!-- re-elected in 2012 -->
|-
! HD 93
| [[Douglas Coffin]] (D)
|-
! HD 94
| [[Ellie Hill]] (D) <!-- re-elected in 2012 -->
|-
! HD 95
| [[Tom Steenberg]] (D)
|-
! HD 96
| [[Carolyn Squires]] (D) <!-- re-elected in 2012 -->
|-
! HD 97
| [[Nancy Wilson (politician)|Nancy Wilson]] (D)
|-
! HD 98
| [[Jenifer Gursky]] (D)<!-- Yes, Jenifer is spelled correctly -->
|-
! HD 99
| [[Kimberly Dudik]] (D)
|-
! HD 100
| [[Zooey Zephyr]] (D)
|}

{{Further|List of mayors of Missoula, Montana}}
[[File:Missoula county courthouse.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Missoula county courthouse]]

Missoula's system of government has changed four times since 1883, when an [[Alderman#United States|aldermanic]] form of government was approved with the town charter. The city adopted a [[City commission government|commission-council]] form of government in 1911 with the opening of new City Hall and a [[council–manager government]] in 1954 before returning to an aldermanic form of government in 1959. Since January 1, 1997, Missoula has been governed in accordance with the Missoula City Charter, which calls for a [[mayor–council]] system of government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.msulocalgov.org/technicalassistance/municipalcharters/Missoula%20Charter.pdf|title=City of Missoula Charter|website=www.msulocalgov.org|access-date=December 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804115925/http://msulocalgov.org/technicalassistance/municipalcharters/Missoula%20Charter.pdf|archive-date=August 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

The current system comprises a mayor and city treasurer elected in a citywide vote and 12 [[city council]] members who must reside in and are elected from one of six wards, with each ward having two council members. All positions are nominally nonpartisan. Council members and the mayor are elected to four-year terms with council-member elections being staggered to allow only one member from each ward to up for re-election. No term limits exist for either position.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ci.missoula.mt.us/401/Historical-Notes |title=Missoula Historical Notes: Spotlights |publisher=City of Missoula |access-date=August 9, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814062335/http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/401/Historical-Notes |archive-date=August 14, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ci.missoula.mt.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/461 |title=City of Missoula Charter |publisher=City of Missoula |access-date=August 25, 2015 |format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003052133/http://ci.missoula.mt.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/461 |archive-date=October 3, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Missoula's state legislative delegation is the second-largest in the [[Montana Legislature]] and is represented by districts 91–100 in the [[Montana House of Representatives]] and districts 46–50 in the [[Montana Senate]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ftp.geoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Documents/Maps/Individual/20030728_495_2005_MTLegDist.pdf |title=Map of Montana Legislature Districts |website=Montana State Library |publisher=Montana Geographic Information Clearinghouse |access-date=August 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318132939/http://ftp.geoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Documents/Maps/Individual/20030728_495_2005_MTLegDist.pdf |archive-date=March 18, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> It has 14 [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] and only one [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] in its state legislative delegation<ref name="MT Senate"/><ref name="MT House"/>

Missoula is often considered the most [[Modern liberalism in the United States|liberal]] city in [[Montana]]. Though its political leanings may not be unique for a college town, its initiative to make marijuana possession the lowest priority of {{nowrap|law enforcement in 2006,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://co.missoula.mt.us/initiative2/ |title=Missoula County Initiative No. MCSO2006-02 Community Oversight Committee |publisher=County of Missoula |access-date=August 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201124553/http://co.missoula.mt.us/initiative2/ |archive-date=February 1, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>}} and symbolic resolutions calling on Congress to withdraw from {{nowrap|Iraq in 2007,<ref name="Moore 2007">{{cite news |last=Moore |first=Michael |url=http://helenair.com/article_22f985d5-3bf9-5c4f-9b05-e047b6473d89.html |title=Missoula approves withdrawal referendum |newspaper=Independent Record |date=November 7, 2007 |access-date=August 28, 2015 |location=Helena |archive-date=September 13, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913162312/http://helenair.com/article_22f985d5-3bf9-5c4f-9b05-e047b6473d89.html}}</ref>}} and to amend the U.S. Constitution to declare that "corporations are {{nowrap|not human beings" in 2011,<ref name="Szpaller2011b">{{cite news |last=Szpaller |first=Keila |url=http://billingsgazette.com/article_7b7a1db4-0b04-11e1-bb3c-001cc4c03286.html |title=Missoula voters say corporations are not people, ask for constitutional amendment |newspaper=Billings Gazette |issn=2372-868X |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=August 28, 2015 |archive-date=August 18, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818064444/http://billingsgazette.com/article_7b7a1db4-0b04-11e1-bb3c-001cc4c03286.html}}</ref>}} often put it at odds with the rest of the state. In 2011, the Montana legislature, with a Republican House majority, attempted to overturn Missoula's marijuana law and revoke its ability to have an anti-discrimination ordinance that included the [[LGBT]] community. The marijuana repeal was vetoed by then-Governor Brian Schweitzer<ref name="Johnson2011b">{{cite news |url=http://missoulian.com/article_649e04f4-6602-11e0-9662-001cc4c03286.html |title=Governor vetoes repeal of medical marijuana law |newspaper=Missoulian |issn=0746-4495 |date=April 14, 2011 |last=Johnson |first=Charles S. |location=Missoula |archive-date=September 15, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915101734/http://missoulian.com/article_649e04f4-6602-11e0-9662-001cc4c03286.html}}</ref><ref name="Florio 2011">{{cite news |last=Florio |first=Gwen |url=http://missoulian.com/article_41d915fe-ebcb-11e0-a9a9-001cc4c002e0.html |title=Minor pot crimes to be enforced again, Missoula County attorney says |newspaper=Missoulian |issn=0746-4495 |date=October 1, 2011 |access-date=February 8, 2012 |location=Missoula |archive-date=September 15, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915104111/http://missoulian.com/article_41d915fe-ebcb-11e0-a9a9-001cc4c002e0.html}}</ref> and the attempt to repeal the anti-discrimination ordinance died in the State Senate.<ref name="Johnson2011a">{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Charles S. |url=http://billingsgazette.com/article_0262e838-5576-586d-9e51-2c55e4082bce.html |title=House Bill Would Overturn Missoula's Anti-Discrimination Ordinance for Gays, Lesbians |newspaper=Billings Gazette |issn=2372-868X |date=February 22, 2011 |access-date=February 8, 2012 |archive-date=August 18, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818103814/http://billingsgazette.com/article_0262e838-5576-586d-9e51-2c55e4082bce.html}}</ref>

In 2020, [[Missoula County, Montana|Missoula County]] became the first county in Montana to adopt a county sales tax on gasoline (an option afforded to counties in Montana that had gone unused for several decades).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-15|title=Voter approved 2-cent fuel tax takes effect in Missoula County|url=https://missoulacurrent.com/business/2020/09/fuel-tax-missoula/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Missoula Current|language=en-US|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519030345/https://missoulacurrent.com/business/2020/09/fuel-tax-missoula/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Montana Legislature]] and Governor [[Greg Gianforte]] blocked this decision the following year, repealing the sales tax provision from state law.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-11|title=Gianforte signs repeal of local-option gas tax despite plea from Missoula County, contractors|url=https://www.kpax.com/news/montana-news/gianforte-signs-repeal-of-local-option-gas-tax-despite-plea-from-missoula-county-contractors|access-date=2021-05-19|website=KPAX|language=en|archive-date=May 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519030345/https://www.kpax.com/news/montana-news/gianforte-signs-repeal-of-local-option-gas-tax-despite-plea-from-missoula-county-contractors|url-status=live}}</ref>