Cory Reeves, the current mayor of Great Falls, is running for re-election in the upcoming 2025 municipal election.

He officially filed for re-election, and his challenger is Jasmine Taylor.

Reeves has served as mayor since 2024 and is completing his first two-year term, set to end December 31, 2025. The filing period for the mayoral election closed on June 11, 2025, confirming his candidacy.

The election will be held in November 2025, and all newly elected officials will take office in January 2026.

Before becoming Mayor, Cory held the role of Executive Director at Adlera Laboratory LLC from July 2022 to November 2023.

Cory also served as Undersheriff at the Cascade County Sheriff/Coroner’s Office from January 2019 to July 2022 and had a long tenure at the Great Falls Police Department from March 1998 to December 2018, where Cory worked as a Police Officer and Detective.

Cory Reeves holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Providence.

Cory Reeves’ main priorities as he continues to serve as mayor of Great Falls are:

• • Reducing red tape and improving city processes: He has made significant efforts to streamline the city’s zoning and permitting processes, aiming to make it easier for businesses and developers to invest in Great Falls. Reeves prioritizes cutting bureaucratic obstacles and making city government more supportive of local entrepreneurship and economic growth.
  • Transparency and community engagement: Increasing transparency and communicating openly with residents and stakeholders are core themes for Reeves. He believes in actively updating the public and keeping city government accessible and accountable.
  • Economic development: Reeves is optimistic about new growth and is focused on ensuring the city’s infrastructure—such as roads and utilities—can support expanding businesses. He sees economic momentum as a key opportunity for the city’s future.
  • Addressing housing needs: With population growth, Reeves acknowledges the need for more diverse and affordable housing options. He is working to remove obstacles in the permitting process and collaborating with developers to expand housing availability across income levels.
  • Cost of living: In recent city communications, Reeves also named the cost of living as a top priority alongside public safety, indicating ongoing efforts to make Great Falls an affordable place to live.

Reeves combines a focus on essential city services—like safety and infrastructure—with goals to foster growth, transparency, and livability for all residents of Great Falls.

Cory Reeves’ law enforcement experience significantly shapes his vision for community growth by emphasizing the principles of community policing, partnership, and trust-building with residents.

Drawing from practices common in effective law enforcement leadership, Reeves approaches public safety not just as crime prevention, but as an essential foundation for stable, thriving neighborhoods and economic development.

Key Points

Partnerships with the community

Law enforcement experience often highlights that crime prevention and community well-being are more successful through collaboration between police and residents. Reeves likely values building networks among city agencies, businesses, and citizens to jointly address issues and foster an environment attractive for growth.

Empowerment and engagement

Community policing teaches that officers and city leaders should be empowered to address local needs creatively and directly. Reeves’ background would inform his approach to encourage city officials and residents to take initiative in problem-solving partnerships that strengthen community bonds.

Holistic public safety

Officers with broad law enforcement experience recognize that addressing social drivers of crime (such as housing insecurity, youth engagement, and economic opportunity) is critical. Reeves integrates these lessons, prioritizing public safety improvements as a prerequisite for investment, business confidence, and population growth.

Trust and transparency

Law enforcement leaders learn the importance of community trust and open communication for effective policing. Reeves carries this forward by promoting transparency in government and ongoing dialogue with residents, aiming to create a secure and welcoming atmosphere that fuels community growth.

Integrated service delivery

Modern policing often involves working across government departments—housing, health, social services—to address quality-of-life issues that affect safety and growth. Reeves’ vision for Great Falls is likely grounded in this collaborative, cross-sector approach.

Reeves’ law enforcement background leads him to see public safety as inseparable from economic vitality and livability, and he prioritizes strategies that empower community members as partners in building a safe, dynamic city.

Reeves aims to address the cost of living for Great Falls residents through several interrelated strategies centered on essential city services, economic opportunity, and housing:

Expanding affordable housing

Reeves prioritizes removing obstacles in the city’s permitting process, collaborating with developers, and encouraging diverse housing options. This approach is intended to make housing more accessible and keep prices manageable for residents as population growth increases demand.

Streamlining city processes

By reducing red tape, Reeves believes local businesses and housing projects can move forward faster, potentially increasing housing supply and business competition—both factors that can influence cost of living.

Public safety and essential infrastructure

By ensuring the city’s safety services and core infrastructure are well-supported, Reeves aims to foster a stable environment for investment and job creation, indirectly addressing cost of living by supporting wage growth and protecting property values.

Transparency and accountability

Reeves emphasizes clear communication with residents regarding costs, taxes, and community investment, aiming to keep local government effective and spending focused on priorities that benefit everyday life.

While Reeves does not propose direct financial assistance or subsidies to offset living expenses, his strategies are focused on long-term factors — especially housing and local economic development that strongly influence what residents pay for everyday needs.

These efforts are meant to increase housing availability, reduce barriers for local businesses, and maintain Great Falls as an affordable place to live through economic growth and efficient local governance.

More Info

For more information, you can visit Cory Reeves on his Facebook page or contact the Cascade County Election Office (406-454-6803, elections@cascadecountymt.gov).

Jasmine Taylor is a candidate for mayor in the 2025 Great Falls, Montana, municipal election, running against incumbent Cory Reeves.

Jasmine is a lifelong Great Falls resident: Born and raised in Great Falls, Taylor attended Valley View Elementary, North Middle School, and C.M. Russell High School.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Providence (2011) and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Montana (2020).

Jasmine has worked for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services for over eight years, including roles as a caseworker and residential licensing surveyor in the Quality Assurance Division, focusing on facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities, chemical dependency centers, and youth in foster care. She is a member of the Montana Federation of Public Employees union.

Taylor’s Community Involvement Includes

• • Vice President (previously President) of the Great Falls LGBTQ+ Center, advocating for a citywide nondiscrimination ordinance.
  • Former president of the Great Falls Young Actors Guild.
  • Coordinator for the Election Protection Committee in Cascade County, focusing on election integrity.
  • Active in countering white supremacy and promoting community engagement through volunteer work.
  • Contributes to What the Funk (WTF406), a blog addressing local political issues.

She describes herself as a first-generation college student who grew up in poverty, relying on social safety nets like food stamps and Medicaid after her family faced bankruptcy due to a medical emergency. She identifies as a Democratic Socialist and is openly queer.

Previous Political Experience

In 2019 Taylor ran for one of two open City Commission seats, competing against Tracy Houck (incumbent), Bruce Pollington, Kim Rodriguez, Terry Thompson, and Rick Tryon. This was her first political campaign, motivated by the need for young, progressive representation and a citywide nondiscrimination ordinance.

She also ran, in 2020, as a Democrat but lost in the general election. Her platform focused on strengthening social safety nets, legalizing recreational marijuana to fund public schools, protecting public lands, and supporting LGBTQ+ rights.

In 2023 she filed an ethics complaint against City Commissioner Rick Tryon, alleging an undisclosed employment relationship with Stray Moose Productions (owner of E-City Beat blog) and a violation of the City Commission’s code of ethics. The complaint was unanimously deemed unsubstantiated by the City Ethics Committee.

2025 Mayoral Campaign

Taylor’s campaign emphasizes economic growth, infrastructure improvements, community safety, and progressive values. Her website, Jasmine for Mayor (jasmineformt.com), positions her as a “bold voice” for Great Falls, prioritizing residents’ needs.

Key Issues

• • Community Engagement: Advocates for inclusive policies and community-driven solutions, emphasizing her volunteer work and human rights activism.
  • Economic and Social Policies: Previously supported pedestrian-friendly downtown revitalization, affordable parking, and local business growth. She has also advocated for a crisis center to address mental health and addiction issues to reduce strain on emergency services.
  • Nondiscrimination: Continues to push for protections for the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups.

Election Details

• • The 2025 Great Falls municipal election is scheduled for November 4, 2025, via mail ballot, with ballots mailed on October 20, 2025, and due by 8:00 PM on election day.
  • The mayoral race includes Taylor and incumbent Cory Reeves. No primary election is planned unless deemed necessary by the Cascade County Election Administrator.
  • Taylor’s campaign is active on social media, including a Jasmine Taylor for Montana Facebook page, where she promotes themes of “joy and resistance” and community-focused leadership.

More Info

Taylor’s campaign reflects her commitment to progressive policies and community advocacy, drawing on her experience in public service and human rights.

For more information, you can visit her campaign website jasmineformt.com or contact the Cascade County Election Office (406-454-6803, elections@cascadecountymt.gov).

by Walt Gulick, Daily Montanan — May 29, 2025

NorthWestern Energy has just outrageously imposed a 16.8% increase in electric rates for us captive customers without regulatory approval. This occurred before the June 9 hearing of the Public Service Commission where an 8.3% increase had originally been proposed. But, you may recall, NorthWestern received an increase of 28% a year-and-a-half ago.

What is going on? Are we Montanans being unfairly exploited?

To answer this question, let us examine incentives and responsibilities. NorthWestern Energy, a descendant of Montana Power, is a monopoly. With respect to the distribution of electricity and gas, it seems appropriate for only one energy corporation to be a provider. Otherwise, we might be beset by the chaotic mess of poles, wires, and pipes of competing companies. But with no competition, a monopoly can charge exorbitant fees, public welfare be damned.

To protect the more than 400,000 customers of NorthWestern Energy from predatory charges, the publicly-elected members of the PSC are legally granted the authority to approve or disapprove utility rates and what are essentially profit margins (“return on equity” is the technical name, but corporate profits are what’s truly at play). Hence NorthWestern, a large investor-owned corporation, has the incentive to increase profits while the PSC, a governmental agency, has the responsibility of protecting public welfare.

Let’s first examine who profits economically from the income NorthWestern is able to generate. The primary beneficiaries are corporate shareholders, most of whom do not live in Montana. The PSC has traditionally granted the utility profits of about 10% annually. What, 10%? Some large corporations, such as successful supermarket chains, are happy to receive a 1 to 3% yearly profit. Outsiders, rather than Montana citizens and our small businesses, are the beneficiaries of the current arrangement. (Large corporations and institutions are able to negotiate lower rates from NorthWestern.)

Further beneficiaries of profits are the corporate executives, most of whom reside in Sioux Falls, the corporate headquarters. It must be great to be Brian Bird, the CEO of NorthWestern. He earns about $2400 per hour. NorthWestern might claim that his compensation is in line with other energy CEOs, but that seems more like an indictment of unjust wealth distribution than a valid argument for such compensation

NorthWestern, with its army of lawyers, engineers, and public relations persons, seems like Goliath in relation to the PSC as David. To the PSC’s credit, last year it applied a 7.24% decrease in the interim residential rates NorthWestern charged. But when the rates Montanans now pay are compared with the rates customers in other Western states pay, it is clear the PSC needs to do more to protect Montanans from outsourcing our wealth. For 800 kilowatts of power each month, Idaho Power charges customers $70. NorthWestern has charged $107, but with its imposed increase it will be $125.

NorthWestern’s incentive to increase profits for shareholders encourages it to engage in expensive projects of expansion with little regard for prudent spending or even proper approval. A new rate increase would pass on to us consumers the costs of building and operating the Laurel methane-fired plant, brazenly constructed even when violating zoning laws and without approval of the PSC.

Its guaranteed profit means that ratepayers must cover all of the utility’s expenses, even those spent on unwise and unapproved projects. We, not they, shoulder the risks. The PSC can restore balance by holding NorthWestern to reasonable standards with fair rates for everyday Montanans.

The PSC will hold a public hearing in Helena on June 9 to discuss how to respond to Northwestern’s requested rate increases. PSC members need to deny these unjust rate hikes and thereby reduce NorthWestern’s exorbitant 10.8% return on equity (profit). Granting an increase in rates legitimates NorthWestern’s arrogant and risky actions that benefit shareholders but further stress local families and small businesses. Ratepayers and the PSC must stand up to this out-of-control monopoly.

Walt Gulick is a Montana State University Billings professor emeritus, NorthWestern Energy ratepayer, and Northern Plains Resource Council member.