Independent voter resource. Maintained by Patrick Zimny, a Bozeman parent, not by the school district or the county. Every claim links its source. Corrections: patrick@patrickzimny.com.

Bozeman School District 7 elects trustees every May. This page tracks the May 2027 election: dates, how the process works, and (once filings open) who's running. Updated through election day.

Get an email when candidates file: I’ll send plain-English updates at every milestone of this election.

Key dates

  • Election day: Tuesday, May 4, 2027. Montana law sets school elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May (MCA 20-20-105).
  • Candidate filing window: about December 10, 2026 – 5 p.m. February 8, 2027. Statute allows filing no sooner than 145 days and no later than 85 days before election day (MCA 20-3-305). I'll confirm exact dates against the official OPI election calendar when it's published.
  • Write-in deadline: 5 p.m. on the 65th day before the election (≈ February 28, 2027, same statute).
  • Ballots: BSD7 elections have been run by the Gallatin County Election Office as mail-ballot elections. In 2026, ballots went out April 17 and had to be received by 8 p.m. election day (postmarks don't count). Expect the same shape in 2027, confirmed closer in.

What's on the ballot

Four trustee terms expire in 2027: the seats currently held by Lei-Anna Bertelsen, Gary Lusin, Melissa Moran, and Sandra Wilson (current board). I'm confirming with the district clerk exactly how those split between elementary-district seats and the high-school at-large seat, and will update here.

How BSD7's board is structured

Eight trustees, three-year staggered terms. Seven are elected by voters of the Bozeman elementary district; the eighth is an at-large seat elected by voters of the surrounding rural elementary districts (Anderson, Gallatin Gateway, Monforton areas) that belong to the high-school district. All eight act on high-school business. Elections are nonpartisan. No parties, no primaries.

Thinking about running?

You qualify if you're a registered voter residing in the district (MCA 20-3-305). You file a Declaration of Intent and Oath of Candidacy with the BSD7 district clerk during the filing window. The statute lists no filing fee (confirming with the clerk). One more thing the statute says: if no more candidates file than there are open seats, the election can simply be cancelled and the candidates seated by acclamation. That's how Bozeman ends up with uncontested school boards. File. Run. Make it a race.

If you're serious, start now: attend meetings, read the Policy Explorer, and follow my meeting previews and recaps.

Who's running

Filings haven't opened. Every candidate will be listed here as they file, along with their answers to a standard questionnaire I'll send each of them, including me, if I file.

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