Montana

Free pizza and a DJ help defrost Montana voters lined up until 4 a.m. in the snow to vote

Published

1 year ago

November 6, 2024

Free pizza and a DJ help defrost Montana voters lined up until 4 a.m. in the snow to vote

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Stuck on a snowy sidewalk for hours after polls closed, voters in a Montana college town created an encouraging vibe as they moved slowly through a line leading to the ballot boxes inside the county courthouse.

They huddled under blankets and noshed on chips, nuts and pizza handed out by volunteers. They swayed to an impromptu street DJ, waved glow sticks and remembered a couple of truths: This is a college town and hanging out late at night for a good cause is fun — even in the teeth-chattering cold.

R-r-r-Right?

Hardy residents of Bozeman, Montana, queued along Main Street by the hundreds on election night, with Democrats, Republicans and independents sharing a not-so-brief moment of camaraderie and warmth to close out an otherwise caustic election season.

Among them, clad in a puffy down jacket and a thin pair of gardening gloves, was Davor Danevski, a 38-year-old tech worker. By early Wednesday morning, he’d waited almost five hours.

“The last two elections I missed because I was living abroad in Europe. I didn’t want to miss a third election,” said Danevski. “Too many people don’t take it as seriously as they should.”

Polls closed at 8 p.m. The last ballot was cast at 4 a.m. by an undoubtedly committed voter.

The long wait traces to a clash of Montana’s recent population growth and people who waited until the last minute to register to vote, change their address on file or get a replacement ballot. Many voters in the hometown of Montana State University were students.

The growth of Gallatin County — up almost 40% since 2010 — meant the 10 election workers crammed into an office were woefully insufficient to process all the last-minute voter registrations and changes.

“The building’s just not set up … It’s not designed to hold all the people that Gallatin County has now for every election. So we need to do something about that,” County Clerk Eric Semerad said of the structure built in 1935.

As darkness descended, flurries swirled and temperatures plunged into the 20s (minus 15 degrees Celsius), Kael Richards, a 22-year-old project engineer for a concrete company, took his place with a friend at the back of the line.

He appreciated the food and hand warmers given out before he finally cast his vote at 1 a.m. By then, he estimated, he had been lined up between seven and eight hours.

“The people down there were super nice,” Richards said Wednesday. “We thought about throwing in the towel but we were pretty much at the point that we’ve already been here, so why not?”

The county clerk asked county emergency officials to help manage the crowd since it was snowing. They shut down a road by the courthouse and set up tents with heaters inside. “It was brilliant,” Semerad said.

The line’s precise length was hard to measure as it snaked along the sidewalk, into the road and through the tent. It continued up the courthouse steps, jammed through a doorway, wrapped around an open lobby, up some more stairs, between rows of glass cases filled with historic artifacts and finally into the office of late-toiling election workers.

In past elections, lines have gone past midnight, but never as late as Tuesday’s, Semerad said. Many waiting could have stepped out of line and cast provisional ballots but chose to stick it out.

As midnight came and went Danevski stood patiently waiting his turn to start up the courthouse steps. For him, the long hours were worth it.

“If you can, you should always try to vote,” he said.

___

Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming.

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Montana

Montana Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life results for Jan. 12, 2026

Published

8 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 12, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 12 drawing

05-27-45-56-59, Powerball: 04, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 12 drawing

21-23-24-28-39, Lucky Ball: 01

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Jan. 12 drawing

09-20-25-30-51, Star Ball: 10, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Jan. 12 drawing

01-14-22-29, Bonus: 09

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 12 drawing

11-23-24-54-56, Powerball: 05

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Montana

Man dies in Highway 93 crash in Lake Co.

Published

20 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Press Room

Man dies in Highway 93 crash in Lake Co.

RAVALLI, Mont. — A 35-year-old man is dead after a two vehicle crash on Highway 93 North near Ravalli on Sunday morning, according to Montana Highway Patrol.

The driver of a Honda Civic traveling northbound in the southbound lanes was declared dead on scene after colliding with a Ford F-150 that was traveling southbound.

The driver of the Ford F-150 was injured in the accident taken to St. Luke Community Healthcare in Ronan.

Montana Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

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Montana

Montana FWP seeking water rights for Rock Creek near Red Lodge

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

Press Room

Montana FWP seeking water rights for Rock Creek near Red Lodge

CARBON COUNTY — Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is working to acquire two senior water rights along the West Fork of Rock Creek near Red Lodge to address critically low water levels that are threatening the fish population.

The creek, which flows around the Red Lodge community, may appear full to casual observers, but wildlife officials say the flow is dangerously low for fish survival.

Watch FWP discuss the need for these water rights for Rock Creek:

Montana FWP seeking water rights for Rock Creek

“To have these water levels, it can have an impact on the fishery over there,” Chrissy Webb with Fish, Wildlife and Parks said. “Over the past few years, we’ve been seeing really low water levels for these trout, which is obviously a huge issue. Fish, of course, need water.”

The proposed solution involves purchasing two senior water rights that were previously used for irrigation and transferring them to remain in the stream for fishery protection.

“This would be water that was once diverted for irrigation. Those water rights would transfer to remain in the stream for the protection of this fishery,” Webb said.

Acquiring water rights is a complex process, but Webb emphasized the urgency of the situation. Without intervention, the fish population could decline quickly.

“We need water levels to be at a certain level for fish to survive. And we need water temperatures to be low enough for these trout to survive. And then, like I said, some places in Rock Creek have even experienced total dewatering of the stream bed,” Webb said.

FWP plans to purchase the water rights for $330,000. The process involves the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

“They’re working with the owner of those water rights to transfer their purpose from irrigation to being in stream flows,” Webb said.

The DNRC will ultimately decide whether FWP has the authority to purchase the water rights. The access to water would come from Giant Springs in Great Falls.

Michael Downey with the DNRC said mid to low elevation areas are particularly lacking adequate stream levels, but is confident they will rise as the year continues.

“If you look at where snowpack is right now, even those places that are below normal, certainly that Rock Creek drainage is probably the one in the area that looks worse than most,” Downey said.

On Feb. 12, the DNRC will decide if the FWP has the authority to purchase those water rights.

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