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Campaign finance requirements in Montana
 in Montana |
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Federal campaign finance laws and regulations |
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| Campaign finance reform |
| History of campaign finance reform |
| State by state comparison of campaign finance reporting requirements |
| Election policy |
| State information |
Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates and campaigns may receive from individuals and organizations, how they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political parties may contribute to campaigns. In addition to direct campaign contributions, campaign finance laws also apply to third-party organizations and nonprofit organizations that seek to influence elections through independent expenditures or issue advocacy.
This page provides background on campaign finance regulation, lists contribution limits to state candidates and ballot measures in Montana, compares contribution limits to gubernatorial and state legislative candidates in Montana with those from other states, and details the candidate reporting requirements in Montana.
The information on this page pertains to candidates for state office and state ballot measures. Candidates for federal office are subject to federal campaign finance law. Candidates for local office are subject to all applicable state laws as well as any separate local campaign finance regulations.[1]
Background
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency responsible for administering and enforcing federal campaign election laws. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing limits and prohibitions on contributions and the oversight of the public funding of presidential elections.[2] According to the FEC, an individual becomes a federal candidate, and must begin to report their campaign finances, once he or she has either raised or spent $5,000 in pursuit of his or her campaign. Within 15 days of this benchmark for status as a candidate, the candidate must register with the FEC and designate an official campaign committee, to be responsible for the funds and expenditures of the campaign. This committee must have an official treasurer, and cannot support any candidate but the one who registered the committee. Detailed financial reports are then made to the FEC every financial quarter after the individual is registered with the FEC. Reports are also made before primaries and before the general election.[3]
The rules governing federal election campaigns and contributions have evolved over the past generation as result of a number of Supreme Court decisions. In the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited. The court's decision also overturned the ban on for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and unions broadcasting electioneering communications in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before a general election.[4] In the SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission decision, the first application of the Citizens United decision, the court held that contribution limits on what individuals could give to independent expenditure-only groups, and the amount these organizations could receive, were unconstitutional. Contribution limits on donations directly to candidates, however, remain constitutional.[5][6] In 2014's McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court overturned biennial aggregate campaign contribution limits, and held that individuals may now contribute to as many federal candidates as they want, but may only contribute up to the federal limit in each case.[7]
While the FEC governs federal election campaigns and contribution limits, individual states require their own level of regulation and reporting. The amount of regulation required differs by state, as do the limits on campaign contributions and third-party activities to influence elections. Candidates for local office must follow any applicable state and local campaign finance regulations.
Contribution limits
The table below details contribution limits as they applied to various types of individuals and groups in Montana as of July 2025. The uppermost row of the table indicates the contributor, while the leftmost column indicates the recipient. Limits apply per election unless otherwise noted.
| Individuals | Political committees | Independent political committees (PACs) | Political party | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | $1,120 | N/A | $1,120 | $112,200 | |||||
| Statewide candidate | $790 | N/A | $790 | $84,150 | |||||
| Senate | $450 | N/A | $450 | $3,350 | |||||
| Assembly | $450 | N/A | $450 | $2,250 | |||||
| PAC | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | |||||
| Party committees | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | |||||
| Ballot measures | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | |||||
| Limits apply per election. | |||||||||
| Sources: Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, "State of Montana Political Campaign Contribution Limits Summary," accessed July 16, 2025 | |||||||||
State comparisons in the 2024 elections
Candidate reporting requirements
See statutes: Title 13, Chapter 37, Part 2 of the Montana Code Annotated 2013
Each candidate for office must designate a campaign treasurer, who is responsible for depositing and disbursing funds, keeping accurate account records, and administering the various financial affairs of the campaign. A candidate may serve as his or her own treasurer or deputy treasurer. The treasurer must be registered to vote in Montana.[9]
The candidate must submit to the Commissioner of Political Practices and the election administrator of his or her county of residence a Statement of Candidate C-1 form within five days of becoming a candidate. This statement must include the full name and complete address of the campaign treasurer and any deputy treasurers. The statement must also include the name and address of the financial depository in which the campaign's account is located.[10][9]
With the exception of candidates for county, municipal or school district offices spending less than $500 in all elections in a campaign, all candidates must adhere to the campaign finance reporting requirements established in Title 13, Chapter 37 of the Montana Code Annotated. Candidates submit regular finance reports via forms prescribed by the Commissioner of Political Practices (Form C-5, Candidate Campaign Finance Reports), which require disclosure of the following types of information:[9]
- Cash summary; money received and spent: details cash transactions only for the reporting period
- Receipts
- candidate's personal contributions
- contributions amounting to less than $35 each
- loans
- interest, rebates, refunds, fundraisers, and other receipts
- political action committee contributions
- political party committee contributions
- incidental committee contributions
- other political committee contributions
- individual contributors of $35 or more
- Expenditures
- petty cash
- all other expenditures
- Debts and loans that have not been repaid
Report due dates vary depending on the office sought.[11][12][13]
Certain contributions made near the date of the election require special disclosure. A candidate must report contributions equal to the contribution limit from a single source between the 15th day of the month before an election and the day before the election within two business days of receipt. Such contributions should be reported via a Form C-7, provided by the Commissioner of Political Practices.[9]
Noteworthy events
2018
On May 22, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit affirmed a district court decision upholding the constitutionality of several of the state's campaign finance statutes. The original challenge to these statutes was brought by Montanans for Community Development, a committee that desired to distribute mailers in the 2016 but declined to do so, arguing that disclosure and reporting requirements established by state law infringed upon the group's First Amendment rights. The appeals court rejected this argument, as did the district court before it.[14][15]
2015
In April 2015, Governor Steve Bullock signed SB 289 into law. According to The Billings Gazette, the bill did the following:[16]
- created "a new category of regulated political activity called 'electioneering communications'
- required "disclosure of any spending on 'electioneering communications' made within 60 days of when voting begins in an election"
- required "disclosure from all groups making political expenditures or contributions during an election cycle"
- increased "the frequency and length of time reporting is required during an election cycle"
2014
On October 24, 2014, according to The Washington Times, Montana Secretary of State Linda McCulloch (D) "filed a complaint ... alleging that Stanford University and Dartmouth College researchers broke four laws by sending 100,000 election mailers to voters that appeared to come from the state." The mailers, which asked respondents to rate the state's four nonpartisan state supreme court candidates as conservative or liberal, featured the state seal and were titled, "2014 Montana General Election Voter Information Guide." McCulloch argued that the mailers broke the following four Montana campaign laws:[17]
- "a ban on 'fraudulent contrivance' that could cause a person to vote a certain way
- "a prohibition on the dissemination of information that gives incorrect or misleading election procedures"
- "a requirement that a person or group engaging in political activity register with the state"
- a law "prohibiting the impersonation of a public servant"
Lisa Lapin, a spokesperson for Stanford University, said that the mailers were disseminated as part of a study intended "to compare voter turnout between precincts that receive mailers and those that don't." Shortly after McCulloch filed her complaint, the presidents of Stanford and Dartmouth issued a public apology. McCulloch subsequently declined to take legal action against the two institutions.[17][18]
On May 12, 2015, according to Montana Public Radio, Political Practices Commissioner Jonathan Motl determined that Stanford and Dartmouth had broken state law by distributing the mailers. Motl concluded that the mailers constituted an act of political advocacy; as such, Stanford and Dartmouth were required by state law to meet certain disclosure requirements. Motl said, "The decision actually found sufficient facts to show that the failure to register, report and disclosure as requirement by law, was a violation of the law." In a statement, Stanford University countered Motl's findings, saying, "The information in the mailer did not contain any advocacy ... and the mailer clearly stated that it was 'part of a joint research project at Stanford and Dartmouth.'" According to the Helena Independent Record, Motl "turned the matter over to Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher for prosecution."[19][20]
2011
In 2011, Western Tradition Partnership sued the state for violating the protections given groups in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling. The Montana Supreme Court found the following: "Citizens United does not compel a conclusion that Montana’s law prohibiting independent political expenditures by a corporation related to a candidate is unconstitutional. Rather, applying the principles enunciated in Citizens United, it is clear that Montana has a compelling interest to impose the challenged rationally-tailored statutory restrictions."[21] Upon appeal, the United States Supreme Court reversed the decision on the grounds that Montana's arguments "either were already rejected in Citizens United, or fail to meaningfully distinguish that case."[22]
Campaign finance legislation
The table below displays bills related to campaign finance introduced during or carried over to Montana's current legislative session.[23]
Election and campaign ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked 23 statewide ballot measures relating to elections and campaigns.
- Montana Direct Nomination of Candidates for Public Office, IR-13 (1920)
- Montana Amending the Direct Primaries Law, IR-15 (1920)
- Montana Repeal of the Presidential Preferential Primaries Law, IR-16 (1920)
- Montana Campaign Finance Law Revision, I-118 (1994)
- Montana Corporate Contributions to Ballot Issues, IR-114 (1998)
- Montana Valid Election for Qualified Ballot Issues, C-21 (1990)
- Montana Party Nomination by Direct Vote, I 302-303 (1912)
- Montana Campaign Expense Limits, I 304-305 (1912)
- Montana Direct Presidential Preference Primary, I 308-309 (1912)
- Montana Popular Choice for U.S. Senator, I 306-307 (1912)
- Montana Repeal Presidential Primary Law, R-27 (1924)
- Montana Presidential Primary Law, R-56 (1954)
- Montana Election of County Commissioners, Amendment 1 (1892)
- Montana Voting Qualifications, Amendment 1 (1896)
- Montana Election of County Commissioners, Amendment 1 (1898)
- Montana County Commissioner Districts, Amendment 1 (1928)
- Montana Voter Qualifications, Amendment 1 (1932)
- Montana Election of Local Officers, Amendment 1 (1952)
- Montana Change Voting Age, Amendment 3 (1970)
- Montana Voting Age, Amendment 1 (1972)
- Montana Direct Corporate Contribution in Ballot Issues, I-125 (1996)
- Montana CI-126, Top-Four Primary Initiative (2024)
- Montana CI-127, Majority Vote Required to Win Elections Initiative (2024)
Contact information
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Montana can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Montana county election administrators
Montana Secretary of State, Elections Division
- Montana State Capitol, Room 260
- P.O. Box 202801
- 1301 E 6th Avenue
- Helena, Montana 59620
- Phone: 406-444-9608
- Email: soselections@mt.gov
- Website: http://sos.mt.gov/elections/
Montana Commissioner of Political Practices
- 1209 8th Ave
- P.O. Box 202401
- Helena, Montana 59620-2401
- Phone: 406-444-2942
- Fax: 406-444-1643
- Email: cpphelp@mt.gov
- Website: https://politicalpractices.mt.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
- 1050 First Street, NE
- Washington, DC 20463
- Telephone: (202)-694-1100
- Toll-free: 1-800-424-9530
- Email: info@fec.gov
- Website: http://www.fec.gov/
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Montana campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Campaign Finance Enforcement," accessed May 28, 2025
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "About the FEC," accessed June 27, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate Registration Brochure," accessed December 7, 2012
- ↑ New York Times, "Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit," January 21, 2010
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Speechnow.org v. FEC," April 7, 2014
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Two Federal Court Rulings Could Change Campaign Finance Landscape," March 26, 2010
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ongoing Litigation," accessed March 18, 2015
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates 2023-2024 Election Cycle," accessed May 8, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Commissioner of Political Practices, "Accounting and Reporting Manual for Candidates and Treasurers," accessed July 16, 2025
- ↑ Montana Code Annotated 2013, "Title 13, Chapter 37, Section 201," accessed January 8, 2014
- ↑ Commissioner of Political Practices, "Statewide Candidates - Candidate Finance Report Calendar, 2013-2014, Primary and General Elections," accessed January 8, 2014
- ↑ Commissioner of Political Practices, "Legislative Candidates - Candidate Finance Report Calendar, 2014, Primary and General Elections," accessed January 8, 2014
- ↑ Commissioner of Political Practices, "Public Service Commissioner - Candidate Finance Report Calendar, 2014, Primary and General Elections," accessed January 8, 2014
- ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, "Montanans for Community Development v. Mangan: Memorandum," May 22, 2018
- ↑ U.S. News and World Report, "Appeals Court Upholds Montana Campaign Finance Reform Law," May 23, 2018
- ↑ Billings Gazette, "Bullock signs Montana campaign finance bill into law," April 22, 2015
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 The Washington Times, "Secretary of state files complaint over mailers," October 24, 2014
- ↑ Great Falls Tribune, "Stanford apologies for Montana election mailers," October 24, 2014]
- ↑ Montana Public Radio, "Dartmouth, Stanford Violated Montana Election Laws," May 12, 2015
- ↑ http://helenair.com/news/politics/motl-stanford-dartmouth-mailers-broke-montana-campaign-laws/article_c0924936-db33-532f-8326-da2932325e36.html Helena Independent Record, "Motl: Stanford, Dartmouth mailers broke Montana campaign laws," May 12, 2015]
- ↑ Election Law Blog, "Western Tradition Partnership, Inc. v. Attorney General of the State of Montana," December 30, 2011
- ↑ United States Supreme Court, "American Tradition Partnership, Inc v. Steve Bullock," June 25, 2012
- ↑ Bills are organized by most recent action. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
