Missoula Ward Boundary Realignment
Consultation has concluded.
The Missoula City Council approved the new ward boundaries on March 13, 2023 in Ordinance 3714. You can find out what ward you're in on our interactive map.
Click Here to determine what Ward you live in!
Ward populations are not within alignment due to population growth, recent residential development, demographic shifts and various other reasons. Because of this misalignment changes to all ward boundaries are being proposed.
The following considerations were used in considering Ward Boundary adjustments:
- Maintain population ± 3% of ward average
- Keep ward boundaries regular and compact in shape & size and convenient for voters
- Use natural/physical geographic boundaries
- Respect political and census boundaries where possible
- Avoid redistricting a seated representative out of their ward
Residents are encouraged to weigh in about the boundary changes during the public hearing either in person at City Council Meetings or through the comment box at the bottom of this page.
General Information:
Missoula is divided into six wards, each of which elects two representatives to the City Council. Every two years prior to a municipal election, the City reapportions ward populations to make sure they are within alignment of the "One-Person-One Vote" principle of the US Constitution.
Having the ward boundaries in place before the upcoming election enables candidates for City Council to knock on doors in their ward and communicate with citizens about their platforms ahead of City elections to be held later this year.
Once council adopts a ward boundary map, the City will notify the Missoula County elections office of the final boundaries. The County elections office will then issue new voter registration cards to voters that are effected by these changes.
For more details on the process, please see the slides from the presentation to the Budget and Finance Committee from February 8, 2023.
Map of proposed changes to ward boundaries
Proposed Option Detailed Changes
Each of the following maps show specific proposed changes from one ward to another. The proposed change areas are shown as outlines in the color that represent the Ward they are changing into. Numbers inside of the highlighted census blocks represent the estimated population that exists in that block.
Map of Ward 1 and Ward 2 Shift
- Wards 1 and 2 shift to a more suitable geography along Scott Street and West Broadway
Map of Ward 6 & 4 to Ward 3 Change
- Ward 3 expands westward along S 3rd St W and S 14th St W to Garfield St into Franklin to the Fort Neighborhood
Map of Ward 5 to Ward 4 Change
- Ward 4 shifts South and West into Ward 5 in two locations
- West along 39th St to encompass the population in Southgate Triangle Neighborhood
- South along Hillview Way in the Moose Can Gully Neighborhood
Map of Ward 6 to Ward 5 & 4 Change
- Ward 4 expands west into Franklin to the Fort Neighborhood along S 14 St W to Johnson St
- Ward 5 shifts northward to North St in Franklin to the Fort Neighborhood
Map of Ward 2 to Ward 6 Change
- Ward 6 shifts north and west into Ward 2 along American Way and Siren Rd
Leave your comment here!
Consultation has concluded.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
Who's Listening
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Phone 406-552-6051 Email HendricksonM@ci.missoula.mt.us -
Phone 406-552-6086 Email BrewerB@ci.missoula.mt.us
I feel Gwen Jones was correct, when she said that this is not the time to add *additional* wards. As far as amending the boundaries, I understand it's required - and a pain, but preserving and maintaining neighborhood and ward dynamics should also be prioritized: Ward 6 encompassing Franklin to the Fort AND areas on Mullan Road make no sense; Ward 3 moving westward over Russell... the same. Perhaps doing what we can to leave the "core" wards as intact as possible (i.e. wards, 3, 6, and much of 4 in the "core" of Missoula) while moving Northside/Westside into ward 1, for example, would be a start.
Or, maybe it all needs to be scrapped and redrawn. In any case, this Council and Missoula's leaders will find a way to take extra time and spend extra dollars and people-power to try and reinvent the wheel. We've got to stop that.
I feel very strongly that Ward 3 should not cross Russell into Ward 6. These Neighborhood are not even close to similar in what they desire from political leadership. Nipping a piece of the F2F and moving it into a minority political opinion of Ward 3 is a disservice to these residents. Ward 3 would be better growing to the South or North as both of those areas are similar in ideals and character of neighborhood. Leave the F2F whole as a political body.