Anaconda-Deer Lodge

In 1976 the city of Anaconda voted to consolidate with the county of Deer Lodge. 

In 1986 the county of Deer Lodge- Anaconda voted on the sub-option deciding whether to have partisan elections (870 votes) or nonpartisan elections (1,713 votes)

In 1993 on January 12, the voters of the consolidated government of Anaconda-Deer Lodge voted by a 3 to 1 margin to amend their charter. Two amendments were presented to the voters, one to elect the “county manager” and one to elect the “chief of law enforcement”. The vote was 2,125 for electing the manager, 723 against, and 2,121 for electing the chief and 720 against.

In 1993 At the June 8, special election the voters of Anaconda/Deer Lodge considered further amendments to their charter. Three items regarding the charter were on the ballot: (1) to amend the charter, (2) a sub-option to give the elected chief executive veto power, and (3) a sub-option to give the chief executive authority to hire an administrative assistant.

The votes were as follows: (1) for amending the charter 2,698, against amending the charter 1,966; (2) for veto power 1,652, against veto power 3,123; and (3) for authority to hire an administrative assistant 1,172, against authority to hire an administrative assistant 3,639.  The actual amendments to the charter were found in the sub-optional choices, so even though the voters approved amending the charter, the actual amendments were defeated.

In 1996 the County of Anaconda- Deer Lodge voted on five sub-options. The first was whether appointment boards were not defined (1,751 votes) or appointment boards defined by ordinance (2, 906 votes). The second was the executive having no veto (2,542) or executive having veto authority (2,242 votes). The third was retaining community councils (2,270 votes) or eliminating community councils (2,363 votes). The fourth was electing a partisan county attorney (2,098 votes) or electing a nonpartisan county attorney (2, 647). The fifth was police chief duties undefined (1,244 votes) or police chief duties defined (3,561 votes).

In 2006 the county of Anaconda- Deer Lodge voted on five sub-options. The first was to elect the chief executive (2,480 votes) or appoint the chief executive (1,502 votes). The second was to elect the chief of law enforcement (2,829 votes) or appoint the chief of law enforcement (1,126 votes).  The third was to elect commissioners at large (1,764 votes) or elect commissioners by district (2,171 votes). The fourth was filling commission vacancy (2,280 votes) or remove requirement for filling vacancy (1,610 votes). The fifth was filling the chief executive vacancy (1,222 votes) or replacing the chief executive within 120 days (2,703 votes).

In 2016 the voter turnout was 41.26%.