Montana State Senate elections
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This page displays election information for the Montana State Senate.
Elections
Montana state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Montana holds elections for its legislature in even years.
2026
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2026
Elections for the Montana State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.
2024
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2024
Elections for the Montana State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was June 4, 2024. The filing deadline was March 11, 2024.
2022
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2022
Elections for the Montana State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 7, 2022. The filing deadline was March 14, 2022.
In the 2022 election, Republicans increased their majority in the Montana State Senate from 31-19 to 34-16.
| Montana State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 19 | 16 | |
| Republican Party | 31 | 34 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2020
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2020
Elections for the office of Montana State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 2, 2020. The filing deadline was March 9, 2020.
In the 2020 election, Republicans increased their majority in the Montana State Senate from 30-20 to 31-19.
| Montana State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 20 | 19 | |
| Republican Party | 30 | 31 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2018
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2018
Elections for the Montana State Senate took place in 2018. An open primary took place on June 5, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 12, 2018.[1]
In the 2018 elections, the Republican majority in the Montana State Senate was reduced from 32-18 to 30-20.
| Montana State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 6, 2018 | After November 7, 2018 | |
| Democratic Party | 18 | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 32 | 30 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
2016
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Montana State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 14, 2016. A total of 25 seats out of the 50 seats in the Montana State Senate were up for election in 2016.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 29-20 majority with one vacancy. Republicans gained three seats in the election, giving them a 32-18 majority.
| Montana State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
| Democratic Party | 20 | 18 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | 32 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | 50 | |
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2014
Elections for the Montana State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014, and a general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for major party candidates wishing to run in this election was March 10, 2014; minor party and independent candidates had until June 2, 2014, to file. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 29-21 majority. No partisan change occurred in the election.
2012
Elections for the office of Montana State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on June 5, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was March 12, 2012. A total of 25 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 27-22 majority with one vacancy. After the election, Republicans held a 27-23 majority.
The table below details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election in 2012.
During the 2012 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $907,978. The top 10 contributors were:[2]
2010
Elections for the office of Montana State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on June 8, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2010. A total of 26 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 27-22 majority with one vacancy. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 28-22 majority.
During the 2010 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $993,331. The top 10 donors were:[3]
2008
Elections for the office of Montana State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 3, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. Twenty-five seats were up for election. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $744,742. The top 10 contributors were:[4]
2006
Elections for the office of Montana State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. Twenty-five seats were up for election. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $687,206. The top 10 contributors were:[5]
2004
Elections for the office of Montana State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 3, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. Twenty-five seats were up for election. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $600,450. The top 10 contributors were:[6]
2002
Elections for the office of Montana State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2002, and a general election on November 7, 2002. Twenty-five seats were up for election. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $521,540. The top 10 contributors were:[7]
2000
Elections for the office of Montana State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. Twenty-six seats were up for election. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $395,126. The top 10 contributors were:[8]
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Historical party control
Republicans won control of the Montana State Senate in 2008. In 2024, they won a 32-18 majority.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Montana Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Montana State Senate election results: 1992-2024
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 | '24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 30 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 18 |
| Republicans | 20 | 31 | 34 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 32 | 30 | 31 | 34 | 32 |
Trifecta history
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, Montana was under the following types of trifecta control:
- Democratic trifecta: None
- Republican trifecta: 1995-2004, 2021-2023
- Divided government: 1992-1994, 2005-2020
Montana Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Fifteen 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 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 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 | R |
Footnotes
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2018 Election Calendar," accessed June 22, 2017
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Montana 2012 - Candidates," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Montana 2010 - Candidates," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Montana 2008 - Candidates," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Montana 2006 - Candidates," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Montana 2004 - Candidates," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Montana 2002 - Candidates," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Montana 2000 - Candidates," accessed June 2, 2014
