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Lewis and Clark Caverns Historic DistrictLewis and Clark Caverns Historic District · Photo: Montanabw · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Cardwell handbook

Living in Cardwell, MT: what to set up and who to call

Cardwell has no town government of its own, so Jefferson County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Cardwell Elementary School District. Power in Cardwell comes from Vigilante Electric Coop, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Cardwell has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Jefferson County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Cardwell’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Cardwell, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerVigilante Electric Coopcooperative utilityMore →Internet4 providers0% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cardwell’s trash rules yetMore →SchoolWhitehall High and Cardwell Elementary districtsWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteIn personRules from vote.govMore →ZIP code59721Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Cardwell.

Electricity

Power comes from Vigilante Electric Coop

Vigilante Electric Coop (Vigilante Electric Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of Cardwell.

Start or move service: www.vec.coop · (406) 683-2327

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

4 home internet providers serve Cardwell

0% of 20 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
CenturyLinkDSL60%60/5
Wisp West, Celerity InternetFixed wireless100%50/10
Visionary BroadbandFixed wireless90%10/1
T-MobileFixed wireless5%25/3

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Cardwell’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Cardwell.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileCardwell has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Cardwell kids go to
PK–8Cardwell SchoolCardwell Elementary School District
9–12Whitehall High Schoolin Whitehall

Cardwell is in two districts that split the grades: Cardwell Elementary School District and Whitehall High School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Cardwell is unincorporated, so Jefferson County is the local government.

Local governmentJefferson CountyCardwell is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereJefferson County Election AdministratorElections here are run by Jefferson County (county election office). Box H, Boulder, MT 59632-0249 · (406) 225-4020 · [email protected]FVAP, Sep 2021
Register to voteIn personMontana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govCheck your registration and polling placeprodvoterportal.mt.govThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2021; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

ZIP codes & area codes

Cardwell is in ZIP code 59721

ZIP codes where Cardwell residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of CardwellZIP’s residents in Cardwell
59721Cardwell, MT100%14%
Area code406Wikidata

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomSt. James Hospital29.6 miles awayGet a library cardThree Forks Community Library607 Main St. · (406) 285-3747

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Cardwell

Who provides electricity in Cardwell?

Vigilante Electric Coop (Vigilante Electric Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility.

What internet providers serve Cardwell?

CenturyLink, Wisp West, Celerity Internet, Visionary Broadband, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Cardwell?

59721. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Cardwell in?

Cardwell Elementary School District and Whitehall High School District.

How do I register to vote in Cardwell?

Montana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Jefferson County Election Administrator. Check your registration at prodvoterportal.mt.gov.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.