Montana Opens Vote on New Welcome Signs and Brand
The Montana Department of Commerce on November 19 released three design options for the state's new Welcome to Montana highway signs, and residents are invited to vote online through December 31, 2025. The public selection will shape how visitors see Montana at its borders, and the chosen design will appear on highways that run through Lewis and Clark County and beyond.
State officials announced on November 19 that Montanans may now weigh in on the appearance of the new Welcome to Montana highway signs. The Department of Commerce posted an online ballot at visitmt.com/welcome-sign and opened voting for three designs inspired by the statewide brand unveiled in May 2025. Voting is currently open and will remain available until December 31, 2025.
The three sign options reflect elements of the new brand, which state leaders presented in the spring as part of a broader effort to refresh Montana's identity for residents and visitors. Officials said the signs are meant to represent Montana residents and their stories, and they invited broad public input on the final design. The department and the office of Governor Greg Gianforte framed the selection process as an opportunity for residents to choose how the state greets people arriving by road.
For Lewis and Clark County, the vote carries tangible local implications. The county includes Helena, which functions as a regional hub for state agencies, tourism development, and transportation. Which design is chosen will influence the visual character of entry points on I 15, U S 12, and other routes that bring travelers into the county. Local businesses that rely on road traffic, from motels to restaurants to outdoor outfitters, may see the signs as part of a larger message to prospective visitors about what Montana offers.
The department release linked the voting site and reiterated context about the brand rollout earlier in 2025. Officials stressed public participation and inclusion of diverse voices in the selection. The process is presented as reflective rather than purely aesthetic, with the goal of ensuring that the chosen sign resonates with residents across Montana.
Practical participation is straightforward. Voters can visit the Department of Commerce site and review the three options before making a selection. The timeline set by the department gives Montanans through the end of the year to register their preferences.
The outcome will be one visible element of the new brand implementation, joining other efforts that state leaders have pursued since May. For residents of Lewis and Clark County, the chosen design will serve for years as a first impression for visitors and as a small but symbolic part of Montana's public face on highways and at county borders.
