Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-3-4316. Term of office for commissioners

(1) The commissioners elected at the first election shall qualify and their terms of office must begin on the first Monday after their election. The terms of office of the mayor and city council members in a municipal commission-manager city or town who are in office at the beginning of the terms of office of the commissioners first elected under the provisions of part 44 and this part terminate, and the terms of office of all of their appointed officers and of all of the employees of the city or town terminate, as stated by resolution of the commission.

(2) All commissioners shall serve for a term of 4 years and until their successors are elected and have qualified, except that at the first election the two candidates having the highest number of votes shall hold office for a period of 4 years less the time elapsed since December 31 of the preceding odd-numbered year. The terms of office of all other candidates expire on December 31 in any odd-numbered year following the election provided for in this part at which the first commissioners are elected.