Montana Supreme Court elections
There are seven justices on the Montana Supreme Court. For more information about these elections, visit the Montana judicial elections page.
Judicial selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Montana
The seven justices on the Montana Supreme Court are selected through nonpartisan elections to eight-year terms. When their terms expire, justices must run for re-election if they wish to remain on the court. If unopposed, a justice must stand for a yes-no retention election.[1][2]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a state resident for at least two years; and
- licensed to practice law in the state for at least five years.[1]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the court is selected through a nonpartisan election to an eight-year term.[1]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor is responsible for appointing a new justice to the court. Once confirmed by the Montana state Senate, the justice will hold office until the next regular election. At that time, the appointed justice will be able to run for re-election or retention to complete the remainder of the unexpired term.[2]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
Elections
See also: Montana Supreme Court elections, 2030
Ingrid Gayle Gustafson's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
James Rice's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
See also: Montana Supreme Court elections, 2028
Jim Shea's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Laurie McKinnon's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Montana Supreme Court
See also: Montana Supreme Court elections, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on June 2, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for Montana Supreme Court
Amy Eddy (Nonpartisan) and Dan Wilson (Nonpartisan) are running in the primary for Montana Supreme Court on June 2, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Amy Eddy (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Dan Wilson (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
 = 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. | ||||
See also: Montana Supreme Court elections, 2024
Montana Supreme Court
General election
General election for Montana Supreme Court
Katherine M. Bidegaray (Nonpartisan) defeated Dan Wilson (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Montana Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Katherine M. Bidegaray (Nonpartisan) | 54.1 | 299,480 |
| | Dan Wilson (Nonpartisan) | 45.9 | 254,294 | |
| Total votes: 553,774 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for Montana Supreme Court
Katherine M. Bidegaray (Nonpartisan) and Dan Wilson (Nonpartisan) defeated Jerry O'Neil (Nonpartisan) in the primary for Montana Supreme Court on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Katherine M. Bidegaray (Nonpartisan) | 48.6 | 127,301 |
| ✔ | | Dan Wilson (Nonpartisan) | 34.6 | 90,563 |
 | Jerry O'Neil (Nonpartisan) | 16.8 | 44,058 | |
| Total votes: 261,922 | |||
| = 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
- John Morrison (Nonpartisan)
Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice
General election
General election for Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice
Cory Swanson (Nonpartisan) defeated Jerry Lynch (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Cory Swanson (Nonpartisan) | 53.8 | 296,545 |
 | Jerry Lynch (Nonpartisan) | 46.2 | 254,595 | |
| Total votes: 551,140 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice
Cory Swanson (Nonpartisan) and Jerry Lynch (Nonpartisan) defeated Doug Marshall (Nonpartisan) in the primary for Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cory Swanson (Nonpartisan) | 46.3 | 121,549 |
| ✔ | | Jerry Lynch (Nonpartisan) | 37.5 | 98,622 |
 | Doug Marshall (Nonpartisan) | 16.2 | 42,562 | |
| Total votes: 262,733 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
See also: Montana Supreme Court elections, 2022
Ingrid Gayle Gustafson's seat
General election
General election for Montana Supreme Court
Incumbent Ingrid Gayle Gustafson (Nonpartisan) defeated James Brown (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Montana Supreme Court on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ingrid Gayle Gustafson (Nonpartisan) | 54.3 | 239,219 |
 | James Brown (Nonpartisan) | 45.7 | 201,159 | |
| Total votes: 440,378 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for Montana Supreme Court
Incumbent Ingrid Gayle Gustafson (Nonpartisan) and James Brown (Nonpartisan) defeated Mike McMahon (Nonpartisan) in the primary for Montana Supreme Court on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ingrid Gayle Gustafson (Nonpartisan) | 48.1 | 126,423 |
| ✔ | | James Brown (Nonpartisan) | 36.4 | 95,607 |
 | Mike McMahon (Nonpartisan) | 15.5 | 40,872 | |
| Total votes: 262,902 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
James Rice's seat
General election
General election for Montana Supreme Court
Incumbent James A. Rice (Nonpartisan) defeated Bill D'Alton (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Montana Supreme Court on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | James A. Rice (Nonpartisan) | 77.5 | 307,270 |
 | Bill D'Alton (Nonpartisan) | 22.5 | 89,008 | |
| Total votes: 396,278 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for Montana Supreme Court
Incumbent James A. Rice (Nonpartisan) and Bill D'Alton (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Montana Supreme Court on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | James A. Rice (Nonpartisan) | 76.2 | 189,101 |
| ✔ | | Bill D'Alton (Nonpartisan) | 23.8 | 59,168 |
| Total votes: 248,269 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
See also: Montana Supreme Court elections, 2020
Retention election: Shea's seat/Seat 6
Montana Supreme Court
Jim Shea was retained to the Montana Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 79.7% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 79.7 | 432,032 |
| No | 20.3 | 110,349 | |
| Total Votes | 542,381 |
 | The results have been certified. Source |
Nonpartisan primary
Montana Supreme Court
Incumbent Jim Shea (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Montana Supreme Court on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jim Shea (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 298,973 |
| Total votes: 298,973 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Regular election: McKinnon's seat/Seat 5
General election
General election for Montana Supreme Court
Incumbent Laurie McKinnon (Nonpartisan) defeated Mike Black (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Montana Supreme Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Laurie McKinnon (Nonpartisan) | 57.0 | 303,839 |
 | Mike Black (Nonpartisan) | 43.0 | 229,232 | |
| Total votes: 533,071 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for Montana Supreme Court
Incumbent Laurie McKinnon (Nonpartisan) and Mike Black (Nonpartisan) defeated Mars Scott (Nonpartisan) in the primary for Montana Supreme Court on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Laurie McKinnon (Nonpartisan) | 53.3 | 169,546 |
| ✔ | | Mike Black (Nonpartisan) | 29.7 | 94,445 |
 | Mars Scott (Nonpartisan) | 17.0 | 54,036 | |
| Total votes: 318,027 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
See also: Montana Supreme Court elections, 2018
Seat 2
Montana Supreme Court
Ingrid Gayle Gustafson was retained to the Montana Supreme Court on November 6, 2018 with 83.7% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 83.7 | 365,795 |
| No | 16.3 | 71,451 | |
| Total Votes | 437,246 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
Seat 4
Montana Supreme Court
Beth Baker was retained to the Montana Supreme Court on November 6, 2018 with 83.3% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 83.3 | 369,877 |
| No | 16.7 | 74,126 | |
| Total Votes | 444,003 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection," accessed August 11, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Montana State Legislature, "The Constitution of the state of Montana," accessed August 11, 2021 (Article VII, part VII, section 8)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Montana Secretary of State, "2016 candidate filing list: Non-Legislative," archived July 13, 2016
- ↑ KPAX.com, "Money piles up in 2016 Montana Supreme Court race," archived May 7, 2016
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Montana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Montana
State courts:
Montana Supreme Court • Montana District Courts • Montana Courts of Limited Jurisdiction • Montana Water Court • Montana Workers' Compensation Court
State resources:
Courts in Montana • Montana judicial elections • Judicial selection in Montana
