Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-3-4214. First term of office

(1) The terms of office of the mayor and council members begin on the first Monday after their election is certified or, if there is a recount, after the recount results are certified. The terms of office of the mayor and council members or city council members who are in office at the beginning of the terms of office of the council members first elected under the provisions of this part terminate, and the terms of office of all of their appointed officers in the city, except as provided in this part, terminate, as stated by resolution of the council.

(2) The terms of office of the mayor and all council members expire on the first Monday in January of the first even-numbered year following their election. At the first general city election held in the year prior to the year in which the terms of office of the mayor and council members expire, a mayor and two council members must be elected in cities having a population of less than 25,000. The mayor elected at the first general city election shall hold office for 4 years, one of the council members elected at the first city election shall hold office for 2 years, and the other of the council members elected at the first general city election shall hold office for 4 years, beginning with the first Monday in January of the year following their election. A mayor and four council members must be elected in cities having a population of 25,000 or more, and the mayor elected at the first general city election shall hold office for 4 years. Two of the council members elected at the first general city election shall hold office for 2 years, and the other two of the council members elected at the first general city election shall hold office for 4 years, beginning with the first Monday in January of the year following their election.

(3) The council members elected at the first general city election shall decide by lot, in a manner that they may select, which members shall hold the office of council member for a term that expires 2 years after the election and which members shall hold the office for a term of 4 years.