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Debo Powers

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Debo Powers
Image of Debo Powers

Candidate, Montana House of Representatives District 3

Montana House of Representatives District 3
Tenure

2025 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

0

Prior offices
Montana House of Representatives District 3
Successor: Braxton Mitchell

Compensation

Base salary

$104.86/legislative day

Per diem

$171/day

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 5, 2024

Next election

November 3, 2026

Appointed

October 23, 2019

Education

High school

W.J. Woodham High School

Associate

Pensacola Junior College, 1971

Bachelor's

Florida State University, 1973

Personal
Birthplace
Philadelphia, Pa.
Profession
Educator and administrator
Contact

Debo Powers (Democratic Party) is a member of the Montana House of Representatives, representing District 3. She assumed office on January 6, 2025. Her current term ends on January 4, 2027.

Powers (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the Montana House of Representatives to represent District 3. She declared candidacy for the 2026 election.

Biography

Debo Powers was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated from W.J. Woodham High School. She pursued undergraduate studies at Pensacola Community College and Florida State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1975. Powers' career experience includes working as a public school teacher and principal.[1][2]

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2026

See also: Montana House of Representatives elections, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for Montana House of Representatives District 3

Incumbent Debo Powers is running in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 3 on November 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Debo Powers
Debo Powers (D)

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

See also: Montana House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Montana House of Representatives District 3

Debo Powers defeated Cathy Mitchell in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 3 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Debo Powers
Debo Powers (D) Candidate Connection
 
51.8
 
3,554
Cathy Mitchell (R) Candidate Connection
 
48.2
 
3,310

Total votes: 6,864
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 3

Debo Powers defeated Guthrie Quist in the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 3 on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Debo Powers
Debo Powers Candidate Connection
 
73.3
 
1,005
Image of Guthrie Quist
Guthrie Quist
 
26.7
 
367

Total votes: 1,372
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 3

Cathy Mitchell advanced from the Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 3 on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Cathy Mitchell Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
1,208

Total votes: 1,208
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Powers in this election.

2020

See also: Montana House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Montana House of Representatives District 3

Braxton Mitchell defeated incumbent Debo Powers in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 3 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Braxton Mitchell
Braxton Mitchell (R) Candidate Connection
 
60.0
 
3,586
Image of Debo Powers
Debo Powers (D) Candidate Connection
 
40.0
 
2,393

Total votes: 5,979
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 3

Incumbent Debo Powers advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 3 on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Debo Powers
Debo Powers Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
1,099

Total votes: 1,099
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 3

Braxton Mitchell advanced from the Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 3 on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Braxton Mitchell
Braxton Mitchell Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
1,815

Total votes: 1,815
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Powers' endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Debo Powers has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Debo Powers, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

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2024

Candidate Connection

Debo Powers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Powers' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I grew up in a military family and was born in the Philadelphia Naval Hospital. At 3 weeks old, my family and I moved to a new duty station. We moved around every few years during my childhood because of the military.

I now live in rural Montana next to Glacier National Park in a solar-powered house surrounded by public land. I have spent my life in public service. First, as a public-school teacher and principal. Second, as a conservation and public lands advocate and a volunteer for Glacier National Park (wilderness patrol) and the Flathead National Forest (fire lookout).

I was appointed to the Montana Legislature in 2019 and served for 14 months until I lost election in 2020.
  • Protect our Public Lands. 93% of House District 3 is public land and should be represented by a public lands advocate.
  • Quality Public Education. We need to change the state funding formula for public schools so that we can adequately fund quality public education and pay our teachers a living wage.
  • Affordability. It is becoming harder for people to afford to live in House District 3, especially young adults and retired people on a fixed income. We need to lower residential property taxes and find affordable housing solutions.
Most of us live in Montana because we love our vast public lands--wild places, clean water and air, abundant wildlife, natural beauty. Our state constitution grants us the right to a clean and healthful environment. These are the foundations of our Montana Way of Life. I am passionate about public policy that preserves and protects these things.
Important characteristics:

--Good listener, personable, respect everyone, able to work with others
--Honesty, tell the truth
--Respect and support the Constitution and the rights of every individual
--Always try to do the right thing for your constituents and for the world

--Work for things that will improve all people's lives not just a handful of powerful people or corporations
I like and respect people. I listen well and connect with people's hopes and dreams. I believe in democracy and respect its institutions. I want to make the world a better place for everyone. I believe that I can make a difference.
The core responsibility of a state representative is someone who can listen....even to people who she doesn't agree with. Listening respectfully is the first step toward reaching for shared values and coming up with good solutions to problems. A state representative needs to be able to think about the public good and what will help her constituents and the community who she represents. Then, to work for bills that will improve the lives of all people not just a handful of special interests.
My first job was in high school and it lasted for a summer. I worked in the Sheriff's Department in the pawn shop division. I had to sort through receipts from pawn shops and check serial numbers in search of stolen items. I got to know many of the detectives and investigators and respected the work that they did.
Madam Secretary in the TV series by the same name.
Montana government worked best when there were checks and balances between the executive and the legislative branches. When we had a majority Republican legislature with a Democratic governor, legislators were forced to work on bi-partisan solutions to problems.... and this was good for Montana. With a Republican super-majority in the legislature and a Republican governor, many unconstitutional bills were pushed through and signed into law. Taxpayers had to pay for the state to fight in court for unconstitutional laws that would have diminished their rights. Luckily, the courts upheld these rights, but this waste of time and money can be avoided in the future by a more balanced government.
Politicians don't like to talk about it, but the biggest challenge facing our state is climate change. We are already seeing unusually high temperatures, smoky skies with poor air quality, longer fire seasons, crippling droughts, lower stream flows which affect fishing, less snow pack, and severe storms.
On the first day when I was a principal of a public school, I told my staff: "The quality of this project rides on the quality of the relationships that we have with each other." I think this is true in every endeavor where people work together to accomplish something. The legislature is no exception.
Montana Federation of Public Employees

Montana AFL-CIO

Montana Conservation Voters

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Candidate Connection

Debo Powers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Powers' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I have spent my life in public service. First as a high school teacher of History and Government, then as a K-8th grade public school principal, and finally as a community leader serving on many non-profit boards, governmental committees, and local organizations.

I have always tried to find places in the world where I can make a difference. I have a proven track record of working with diverse groups of people to reach consensus and move things forward.

My great-grandparents homesteaded in North Dakota and farming has been in my family for generations. My father left the farm to serve in the military during WWII and remained after the war. As part of a military family, I lived in many different places when I was growing up. However, I fell in love with Montana when still a child and returned year after year to relish the beauty of the mountains, the rivers, and the wildlife. I saved my money and worked for twelve summers to build a solar-powered cabin off-the-grid next to Glacier National Park in order to realize my dream of living full-time in my beloved Montana. I have been exploring the backcountry of Northwest Montana since 1979.

I was appointed to the Montana Legislature in October 2019 after Zac Perry resigned from his seat. I am working hard to remain the Representative for House District 3.

  • Protection of our public lands, clean air, and clean water
  • Quality public education for all
  • Vibrant, sustainable economy including good jobs, affordable housing, and quality healthcare
My House District is composed of public lands and the gateway communities on the western slope of Glacier National Park and the eastern slope of the Whitefish Range in the Flathead National Forest. These public lands fuel our economy--our small businesses and our outdoor heritage. I am passionate about maintaining our way of life and the vibrant ecosystem that sustains it through strengthening environmental protections and supporting the development of clean, renewable energy. I am passionate about the small towns and rural areas that make up my district and my constituents' desire for quality education, good jobs, and affordable housing and healthcare.
As a former U.S. history teacher, there are so many great people who have led the way and have provided an example for the rest of us to follow. I look up to the great leaders in U.S. history who have stood up for what was right no matter what it cost them; those who stood on principle with courage and integrity; those who fought to improve the lives of people who were beaten down by oppression and poverty and discrimination; those who put the improvement of society above any of their own selfish desires; those who actually served the people rather than the accumulation of power and wealth. These have been the true heroes and heroines in our history and I want to follow their example. How do I choose just one when there have been so many?
It is important that our elected representatives see themselves as public servants and are there to work for the betterment of our communities, our state, and our nation rather than for some personal gain. It is important that they uphold the highest standards of ethics. They need to be willing to listen and consider other people's thinking and reach for common interests and goals. They need to look for solutions that help everyone not just a few. In these days of intense polarization, it is important to have a cooperative mind-set and have the skills to negotiate and compromise with people who think differently.
My best qualities are my ability to connect with other people, to listen respectfully to their thinking, and reach for commonality. I think that the knowledge and skills to negotiate, collaborate, and compromise in order to move things forward are what is most needed in these divisive times. I have a proven track record in this regard. In addition, I am an incredibly hard worker in everything that I do and this will carry-over to my work in the legislature. Being a good legislator requires that one read bills thoroughly, study issues, ask good questions, and look for solutions. A good legislator is focused on what is in the interest of the common-good and this has been my focus throughout my life. I am also a legislator who is responsible to my constituents and thinks about how bills will affect them and their lives.
My favorite fictional character as a child was Nancy Drew. This spunky, smart, courageous woman was actually a role model for me growing up. Nancy always bravely went after truth and justice which is something that I have always aspired to do.
In Montana, we take pride in having a "citizen legislature." People serve in the legislature from many walks of life. While prior experience in public service is important, there are many ways to gain that experience besides government and politics, such as working in schools, fire stations, police stations, and management of our public lands. It is also important in our state to have voices in the legislature from farmers and ranchers and small business owners.
With that said, I taught social studies classes as a high school teacher and covered subjects like history, civics, government, economics, and law studies. The more I taught these subjects, the more my love for our democratic government grew. I think that in order to be most effective, legislators should have a clear understanding of our Constitution and how our government is intended to work. I had the opportunity to be a Congressional Intern in Washington, D.C. while I was in college. I worked for a Republican U.S. Senator on Capitol Hill.
Recovery after the COVID crisis will be central to our work in the legislature for the next decade. Many people have suffered during this crisis and we must continue our commitment to affordable healthcare, affordable housing, good jobs, and our small businesses. Continued support for our public lands is important because these lands fuel our recreational economy and our outdoor heritage. In an attempt to re-build our economy, we must not lessen our commitment to clean air, clean water, and the abundant wildlife that makes Montana special. As the state with the second highest potential for wind energy production, we need to streamline and support this renewable resource for our state.
Relationships are the key to any group of people working together to accomplish something. Nowhere is this more true than in a decision-making body like the legislature. Legislators need to be people who can listen and respect and work with others even when there is disagreement. As polarized as our country is right now, those who can "work across the aisle" are the most influential in being able to move things forward.
In Montana, we have the best and most rational process for redistricting which is a non-partisan commission who makes those decisions. Our districts are not gerrymandered which means that neither political party can manipulate district lines to unfairly enhance their own political power. I am proud that the state of Montana uses this rational process and I support it completely. It is a model for the rest of the country.
I am very interested in serving on the following committees: Energy & Technology, Natural Resources, Education, Fish Wildlife and Parks, Judiciary, and Taxation.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Debo Powers campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Montana House of Representatives District 3Won general$30,106 $0
2020Montana House of Representatives District 3Lost general$38,788 N/A**
Grand total$68,894 N/A**
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Montana

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Montana scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.






2020


2019








See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 4, 2020
  2. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 2, 2024

Political offices
Preceded by
-
Montana House of Representatives District 3
2025-Present
Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
-
Montana House of Representatives District 3
2019-2021
Succeeded by
Braxton Mitchell (R)


Current members of the Montana House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Brandon Ler
Majority Leader:Steve Fitzpatrick
Minority Leader:Katie Sullivan
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
Ed Byrne (R)
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
Paul Tuss (D)
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
Mike Fox (D)
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
District 53
District 54
District 55
District 56
District 57
District 58
District 59
District 60
District 61
District 62
District 63
District 64
District 65
District 66
District 67
District 68
District 69
District 70
District 71
District 72
District 73
District 74
Marc Lee (D)
District 75
District 76
District 77
District 78
District 79
District 80
District 81
District 82
District 83
District 84
District 85
District 86
District 87
District 88
District 89
District 90
District 91
District 92
District 93
District 94
District 95
District 96
District 97
District 98
District 99
District 100
SJ Howell (D)
Republican Party (58)
Democratic Party (42)