Montana Public Service Commission election, 2024

• Presidential election
  • Presidential candidates
• Congress elections
  • U.S. Congress
  • U.S. Senate
  • U.S. House
  • Congressional special elections
• State elections
  • Ballot measures
  • State executives
  • State legislatures
  • State legislature special elections
  • State supreme courts
  • Intermediate appellate courts
• Local elections
  • Ballot measures
  • Municipal government
  • School boards
  • Trial courts
  • Political recalls
  • Additional local elections
• Voter information
  • Sample ballot
  • Election calendar
  • Election results
  • Poll opening and closing times
  • Voting policies

2026 → ← 2022
Montana Public Service Commission
Election details
Filing deadline: March 11, 2024
Primary: June 4, 2024 General: November 5, 2024 Pre-election incumbent(s): Tony O'Donnell (R) (District 2) James Brown (R) (District 3) Jennifer Fielder (R) (District 4)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Montana
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2024 Impact of term limits in 2024 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
Montana executive elections
Governor Lieutenant Governor Attorney General Secretary of State Auditor Superintendent of Public Instruction Public Service Commissioner (3 seats)

Six candidates ran for three of five seats on the Montana Public Service Commission on November 5, 2024. Districts 2 and 3 were open and an incumbent was running in District 4. Voters elected Brad Molnar (R) and Jeffrey Welborn (R) to Districts 2 and 3, respectively, while incumbent Jennifer Fielder (R) won re-election to District 4.

The Daily Montanan's Keila Szpaller wrote, "The PSC has been in the public eye recently because commissioners have approved significant rate hikes requested by both NorthWestern and Montana-Dakota Utilities." Opposition to the rate increase was a central focus for some candidates. Montana Free Press' Amanda Eggert wrote that in Districts 2 and 3, the candidates were "entering Montana’s political fray for the first time, arguing that Montana ratepayers could benefit from regulators eager to challenge the status quo." Commissioner James Brown (R) defended the commission's vote saying "I am as concerned as all of my colleagues about the amount of increase that's being allocated to the residential class. But it's not an arbitrary and capricious decision...It's what the evidence informed us should legally happen."

District 2 spanned the southern part of the state, including Bozeman and Billings. Incumbent Tony O'Donnell (R) was term-limited and retired from public office. Susan Bilo (D) and Brad Molnar (R) were running.

Bilo was a professor at Montana State University- Gallatin College. Bilo said she decided to run because "with the recent electricity and natural gas rate hikes, I felt Montana’s hard-working citizens and businesses are not being fairly represented and protected by their current PSC representatives." Molnar was a member of the Montana Senate for District 28 and a former member of the Public Service Commission. Molnar said he was running because "the availability of affordable and reliable energy is the largest challenge between now and 2030...This will cost $billions without a measurable difference. This is the fight I want to be in and use my experience to win."

District 3 spanned the southwestern and central parts of the state and included Bozeman and Helena. Incumbent James Brown (R) ran for commissioner of securities and insurance. Leonard Williams (D) and Jeffrey Welborn (R) ran.

Williams was an electrician and president of the Southwest Montana Central Labor Council. Williams said he wanted "to bring public service back to the Public Service Commission, and to be the voice of its Constituents." Welborn was a member of the Montana Senate for District 36. Welborn said he was running because "as a long-time public servant, and small business owner, I have the experience needed to protect customers from unfair rate increases, and promote investment in Montana’s energy future."

District 4 covered the northwestern part of the state and included Missoula. Incumbent Jennifer Fielder (R) and Elena Evans (Independent) were running.

Fielder was first elected in 2020, defeating Monica Tranel (D) 52.1% to 47.9%. Her website said she "has been instrumental in transforming the once beleaguered agency into a high-performing model of good governance that saves Montanans money and optimizes essential public services." Fielder voted for the increase in energy rates and defended her vote, saying, "I would like to be able to say no to any cost increases...But the reality is we have to follow the law, and we have to allow utility companies that we regulate to recover their legitimate expenses." Evans was a geologist. She said she was "running as an Independent for the Public Service Commission because we can’t afford another 28% increase on our power bills." Evans said she ran as an independent because "I don’t think the Public Service Commission really needs to be partisan...There’s a clear job and I know I could do a good job of it."

Montana was one of six states that held Public Service Commission elections in 2024. To read more about which states are holding these elections, click here.

Brad Molnar won election in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 2.

Jeffrey Welborn won election in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 3.

Incumbent Jennifer Fielder won election in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 4.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Montana

Election information in Montana: Nov. 5, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 5, 2024
• By mail: Postmarked by Oct. 7, 2024
• Online: N/A

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 4, 2024
• By mail: N/A by N/A
• Online: N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 5, 2024
• By mail: Received by Nov. 5, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates?

Oct. 7, 2024 to Nov. 4, 2024

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (MST)

Candidates and election results

District 2

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 2

Brad Molnar defeated Susan Bilo in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 2 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Molnar (R)	59.1	64,828
		Susan Bilo (D)	40.9	44,823

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 109,651
= 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 Public Service Commission District 2

Susan Bilo advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 2 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Susan Bilo	100.0	16,749

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 16,749
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 2

Brad Molnar defeated Kirk Bushman in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 2 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Molnar	52.0	16,390
		Kirk Bushman	48.0	15,133

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,523
= 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.

District 3

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 3

Jeffrey Welborn defeated Leonard Williams in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 3 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jeffrey Welborn (R)	61.8	77,213
		Leonard Williams (D)	38.2	47,688

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 124,901
= 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 Public Service Commission District 3

Leonard Williams advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 3 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Leonard Williams	100.0	21,609

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 21,609
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 3

Jeffrey Welborn defeated Suzzann Nordwick and Rob Elwood in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 3 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jeffrey Welborn	39.4	13,406
		Suzzann Nordwick	38.7	13,166
		Rob Elwood	21.8	7,422

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 33,994
= 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.

District 4

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 4

Incumbent Jennifer Fielder defeated Elena Evans in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 4 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jennifer Fielder (R)	54.7	69,903
		Elena Evans (Independent) (Write-in)	45.3	57,897

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 127,800
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 4

Incumbent Jennifer Fielder advanced from the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 4 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jennifer Fielder	100.0	31,855

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,855
= 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

• Al Dunlap (R)

Candidate comparison

Candidate profile

District 2

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Susan Bilo

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Bilo received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Colorado State University in energy efficiency and renewable energy courses and training. She worked as an instructor for Montana State University and for the Department of Energy.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Bilo said she would "ensure that renewable energy sources are given fair and due consideration to address costs and climate change because they are cost-competitive with and often cheaper than fossil fuel-powered plants...I would focus on consideration of renewables when overseeing development of the Integrated Resource Plan and when a utility proposes a new electricity generation facility."

---

Bilo said she would "encourage the expansion and marketing of utility efficiency rebates that lead to reduced energy use and lower bills. Another strategy is to invite competition by developing fair and reasonable Qualifying Facility contract terms that attract businesses that want to build cost-effective renewable energy projects."

---

Bilo focused on protecting Montana's power grid and said "Montana’s electric utility grid must be modernized for reliability. Upgrades can include micro-grids that reduce line losses and prevent widespread power outages. Smart-grid technologies give ratepayers control over when and how they use energy to reduce peak demand and costs."

---

Show sources

Sources: Montana Public Radio, "Q&A: Susan Bilo, Democratic Candidate for PSC District 2," May 15, 2024; Montana Public Radio, "Q&A: Susan Bilo, Democratic Candidate for PSC District 2," May 15, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Montana Public Service Commission District 2 in 2024.

Brad Molnar

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Montana State Senate (Assumed office: 2021)
• Montana Public Service Commission (2005-2013)
• Montana State House (1993-1999)

Biography:  Molnar received a bachelor degree in forestry and journalism from the University of Montana. He previously worked building grain storages.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Molnar said his top priority was to "Accomplish a reduced dependence on utility reported interplay concerning their regional market-generation pursuits."

---

Molnar said he wanted to change how proceedings were conducted by "eliminat[ing] non-responsive bickering over questions during the intervener part of proceedings. This would shorten the process and reduce costs for participants."

---

Molnar said the commission "should no longer simply accept NorthWestern Energy's report dispatchable energy sources. The PSC should [sit] down with NWE and work together on long-range planning., i.e., a far more hands-on approach."

---

Show sources

Sources: Montana Public Radio, "Q&A: Brad Molnar, Republican Candidate for PSC District 2," May 15, 2024; Montana Free Press, "Brad Molnar," accessed October 29, 2024; Montana Public Radio, "Q&A: Brad Molnar, Republican Candidate for PSC District 2," May 15, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Montana Public Service Commission District 2 in 2024.

District 3

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Leonard Williams

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Williams went to a four-year apprenticeship at the State of Idaho Electrical Apprenticeship Training and attended Grace Carroll Rocky Mountain Labor School for two years. He worked as an electrician and was president of the Southwest Montana Central Labor Council.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Williams said he ran to "bring public service back to the Public Service Commission, and to be the voice of its Constituents, to provide fair and balanced representation in the Commission."

---

Williams focused on his work experience and his website said "My critical thinking skills developed throughout my career as an Inside Wireman will guide me through decision making."

---

Williams said he wanted to "Bring back balance back to the PSC...Focus on the changing demand and location of energy supply...Better serving the public on proposed changes on energy policy."

---

Show sources

Sources: Leonard Williams 2024 campaign website, "Home," accessed October 29, 2024; Montana Public Radio, "Q&A: Lenny Williams, Democratic Candidate for PSC District 3," May 16, 2024; Montana Free Press, "Lenny Williams," accessed October 29, 2024; Montana Public Radio, "Q&A: Lenny Williams, Democratic Candidate for PSC District 3," May 16, 2024; Montana Free Press, "Lenny Williams," accessed October 29, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Montana Public Service Commission District 3 in 2024.

Jeffrey Welborn

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Montana State Senate (Assumed office: 2017)
• Montana State House (2009-2017)

Biography:  Welborn received a bachelor's degree in business and communications from May Technical College. He was a business owner and owned Stock Drive Trailer Sales, LLC.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Welborn focused on experience and said: "As a long-time public servant, and small business owner, I have the experience needed to protect customers from unfair rate increases, and promote investment in Montana’s energy future."

---

Welborn said he wanted to restore trust in the agency "by ensuring the PSC remains laser focused on its essential regulatory, and public safety responsibilities, Montana’s long-term energy security depends on maintaining a business friendly climate for energy investment."

---

Welborn's website said he would "Fight against unfair utility rate increases, helping protect Montanans’ wallets and pocketbooks. Advocate for solutions that bring greater reliability to our utility services year-round. Bring new and rural voices into the conversation at the Commission level, to better serve our farmers, ranchers, and small business owners."

---

Show sources

Sources: Montana Public Radio, "Q&A: Jeff Welborn, Republican Candidate for PSC District 3," May 16, 2024; Jeffrey Welborn 2024 campaign website, "Home," accessed October 29, 2024; Montana Public Radio, "Q&A: Jeff Welborn, Republican Candidate for PSC District 3," May 16, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Montana Public Service Commission District 3 in 2024.

District 4

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Jennifer Fielder

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

• Montana Public Service Commission (Assumed office: 2021)
• Montana State Senate (2013-2021)

Biography:  Fielder earned a bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation Administration from the Western State College of Colorado. She previously worked as a business owner, a public works project coordinator for Douglas County, Washington, and as CEO of the American Lands Council.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Fielder's website said she "led the vital strategic planning, technology modernization, and internal policy reforms that improved public access to Commission business and resulted in higher standards of conduct, order, and performance throughout the agency."

---

Fielder's website said she "has executed numerous regulatory cases that improved service quality, expanded consumer choice, and saved Montanans more than $35 million dollars."

---

Fielder's website said her re-election focus was on "Reliable, affordable energy, safe railways and pipelines, responsible, accountable public utilities, expanded consumer choice, and good, constitutional governance.

---

Show sources

Sources: Jennifer Fielder 2024 campaign website, "Home," accessed October 29, 2024; LinkedIn, "Jennifer Fielder," accessed October 29, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Montana Public Service Commission District 4 in 2024.

Elena Evans

Party: Independent

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I’m not a Democrat or Republican. I have the independence to do what’s right. I will defend Montana’s constitution and protect our public lands from being sold to corporate interests. We need an Independent voice who will reduce our power bills, hold special interests accountable, and bring transparency to the PSC. I’m a working mom with two kids, and I signed up for budget billing last year because my power bill is too high. As a lifelong public servant, I value professional conduct, honesty, and transparency. I’m a trained geologist, a water quality expert, and the former Director of the Montana Association of Conservation Districts. I know how to build a budget and stick to it. I always read the fine print."

---

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

---

AFFORDABILITY: No family should ever have to choose between turning on the heat or buying a gallon of milk, but double-digit increases on our power bills are forcing families to make that choice. Everywhere I go, from Tarkio to Trout Creek, people want to spend more of their money on the things that matter most. Montanans are burdened with the 4th highest energy costs in the nation, and our PSC has to do a better job providing affordable power for all Montanans. My opponent Jennifer Fielder is one of the worst offenders. She is a profiteer for NorthWestern energy who voted against a $9.1 million rebate for ratepayers in 2021 after NorthWestern overcharged its customers during the pandemic.

---

Affordability: NorthWestern also needs to do more to expand programs for low-income families. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program are both essential programs, run by the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, that help Montana families avoid impossible decisions between essential needs. I support the expansion of these important programs. But right now, these low-income families are not a priority for NorthWestern, whose CEO made $3 million last year. Participation by eligible families in the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program has declined by 25% over the last decade because NorthWestern Energy does not promote it effectively.

---

TRANSPARENCY: Democracy is impossible without transparency and public participation. Right now, it’s clear that transparency and public participation are not priorities for the current Public Service Commission or NorthWestern Energy. Recently, our state legislature discovered that some members of our current Public Service Commission were making biased decisions in rate cases, that one commissioner had stolen another’s emails, and that other commissioners had sent out unauthorized press releases. Then, just last month, we learned that NorthWestern is refusing to disclose balance sheets to justify their request for another huge increase in our power bills.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Montana Public Service Commission District 4 in 2024.

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

District 2

• Susan Bilo

District 3

• Leonard Williams

District 4

Ballotpedia researchers did not identify any candidate websites that provide endorsement information. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

Election spending

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance

Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Montana Secretary of State's website.

Click here to access those reports.

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
• Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
• State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
• Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.

• Presidential elections
• Statewide elections
• State partisanship
• Demographics

See also: Presidential voting trends in Montana and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Montana, 2024
District	Incumbent	Party	PVI
Montana's 1st	Ryan Zinke	Republican	R+6
Montana's 2nd	Matt Rosendale	Republican	R+16

2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, Montana
District	Joe Biden	Donald Trump
Montana's 1st	45.3%	52.2%
Montana's 2nd	35.3%	62.2%

2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:

County-level voting pattern categories
Democratic
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Democratic	D	D	D
Trending Democratic	R	D	D
Battleground Democratic	D	R	D
New Democratic	R	R	D
Republican
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Republican	R	R	R
Trending Republican	D	R	R
Battleground Republican	R	D	R
New Republican	D	D	R

Following the 2020 presidential election, 68.4% of Montanans lived in one of the state's 47 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 17.5% lived in one of five Solid Democratic counties. Overall, Montana was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Montana following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Montana county-level statistics, 2020
Solid Republican	47	68.4%
Solid Democratic	5	17.5%
Trending Democratic	1	11.0%
Trending Republican	2	2.5%
Battleground Democratic	1	0.6%
Total voted Democratic	7	29.1%
Total voted Republican	49	70.9%

Historical voting trends

Montana presidential election results (1900-2020)

• 10 Democratic wins
• 21 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020
Winning Party	D	R	R	D	D	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Montana

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Montana.

U.S. Senate election results in Montana
Race	Winner	Runner up
2020	55.0%	45.0%
2018	50.3%	46.8%
2014	57.8%	40.1%
2012	48.6%	44.9%
2008	72.9%	27.1%
Average	56.9	40.8

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Montana

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Montana.

Gubernatorial election results in Montana
Race	Winner	Runner up
2020	54.4%	40.7%
2016	50.2%	48.3%
2012	48.9%	47.3%
2008	65.5%	32.5%
2004	50.4%	46.0%
Average	53.9	43.0

See also: Party control of Montana state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Montana's congressional delegation as of May 2024.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Montana
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	0	0
Republican	2	2	4
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	2	4

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Montana's top four state executive offices as of May 2024.

State executive officials in Montana, May 2024
Office	Officeholder
Governor	Greg Gianforte
Lieutenant Governor	Kristen Juras
Secretary of State	Christi Jacobsen
Attorney General	Austin Knudsen

State legislature

Montana State Senate

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	16
	Republican Party	34
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		50

Montana House of Representatives

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	32
	Republican Party	68
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		100

Trifecta control

The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.

Montana Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
Governor	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	S	S	R	R	S	S	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

The table below details demographic data in Montana and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.

Demographic Data for Montana
	Montana	United States
Population	1,084,225	331,449,281
Land area (sq mi)	145,549	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White	86.4%	65.9%
Black/African American	0.6%	12.5%
Asian	0.8%	5.8%
Native American	5.8%	0.8%
Pacific Islander	0.1%	0.2%
Other (single race)	1.1%	6%
Multiple	5.2%	8.8%
Hispanic/Latino	4.2%	18.7%
Education
High school graduation rate	94.5%	89.1%
College graduation rate	34%	34.3%
Income
Median household income	$66,341	$75,149
Persons below poverty level	7.3%	8.8%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Election context

Past elections

2022

See also: Montana Public Service Commission election, 2022

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 1

Incumbent Randy Pinocci won election in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Randy Pinocci (R)	100.0	56,347

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 56,347
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 1

Incumbent Randy Pinocci defeated K. Webb Galbreath in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 1 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Randy Pinocci	66.2	20,585
		K. Webb Galbreath	33.8	10,492

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,077
= 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

• Arlo Christianson (R)

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 5

Ann Bukacek defeated John Repke in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ann Bukacek (R)	56.5	54,078
		John Repke (D)	43.5	41,572

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 95,650
= 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 Public Service Commission District 5

John Repke defeated Kevin Hamm in the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Repke	53.7	8,820
		Kevin Hamm	46.3	7,599

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 16,419
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5

Ann Bukacek defeated Derek Skees, Joe Dooling, and Dean Crabb in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ann Bukacek	31.2	11,233
		Derek Skees	31.0	11,146
		Joe Dooling	29.0	10,442
	Submit photo	Dean Crabb	8.7	3,143

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,964
= 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.

2020

See also: Montana Public Service Commission election, 2020

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 2

Incumbent Tony O'Donnell defeated Valerie McMurtry in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 2 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tony O'Donnell (R)	63.3	68,040
	Submit photo	Valerie McMurtry (D)	36.7	39,482

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 107,522
= 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 Public Service Commission District 2

Valerie McMurtry advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 2 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Valerie McMurtry	100.0	20,630

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,630
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 2

Incumbent Tony O'Donnell defeated Kirk Bushman and Daniel Zolnikov in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 2 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tony O'Donnell	36.2	14,281
		Kirk Bushman	33.0	13,036
		Daniel Zolnikov	30.8	12,130

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 39,447
= 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.

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 3

James Brown defeated Tom Woods in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 3 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Brown (R)	54.3	75,464
		Tom Woods (D)	45.7	63,608

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 139,072
= 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

• Rob Elwood (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 3

Tom Woods advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 3 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tom Woods	100.0	33,066

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 33,066
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 3

James Brown defeated Alan George in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 3 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Brown	64.8	24,076
	Submit photo	Alan George	35.2	13,090

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 37,166
= 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

• Walter Derzay (R)

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 4

Jennifer Fielder defeated Monica Tranel in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 4 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jennifer Fielder (R)	52.1	64,726
		Monica Tranel (D)	47.9	59,481

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 124,207
= 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 Public Service Commission District 4

Monica Tranel defeated Daniel Carlino in the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 4 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Monica Tranel	76.9	25,888
		Daniel Carlino	23.1	7,786

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 33,674
= 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

• Brett Rosenberg (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 4

Jennifer Fielder defeated Will Deschamps and Champ Edmunds in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 4 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jennifer Fielder	44.9	16,665
	Submit photo	Will Deschamps	35.1	13,040
		Champ Edmunds	20.0	7,412

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 37,117
= 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

• Webb Brown (R)

2018

See also: Montana Public Service Commission election, 2018

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 1

Randy Pinocci defeated Doug Kaercher in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 1 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Randy Pinocci (R)	59.6	44,990
	Submit photo	Doug Kaercher (D)	40.4	30,463

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 75,453
= 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 Public Service Commission District 1

Doug Kaercher advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 1 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Doug Kaercher	100.0	14,470

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 14,470
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 1

Randy Pinocci defeated Rob Cook, Mark Wicks, and Cory McKinney in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 1 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Randy Pinocci	34.6	8,141
		Rob Cook	30.9	7,273
		Mark Wicks	19.9	4,669
	Submit photo	Cory McKinney	14.6	3,433

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 23,516
= 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.

General election

General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 5

Incumbent Brad Johnson defeated Andy Shirtliff in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Johnson (R)	57.8	60,434
		Andy Shirtliff (D)	42.2	44,103

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 104,537
= 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 Public Service Commission District 5

Andy Shirtliff defeated Tyrel Suzor-Hoy and Henry Clay Speich in the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Andy Shirtliff	64.3	12,783
		Tyrel Suzor-Hoy	22.0	4,382
	Submit photo	Henry Clay Speich	13.7	2,729

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 19,894
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5

Incumbent Brad Johnson advanced from the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Johnson	100.0	29,589

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 29,589
= 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.

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Montana public service commissioner official website

Footnotes

State executive offices

Offices

Governor • Lt. Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Schools • Insurance Commissioner • Controller • Agriculture Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commissioner

States

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Elections

2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

Features

Chart of state executive officers • Compensation • How gubernatorial vacancies are filled • How vacancies are filled in state executive offices • State executive officials serving in home states • State government trifectas • State of the state addresses • Term limits

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Victoria Edwards • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox