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Montana gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2020

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Montana
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 9, 2020
Primary: June 2, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Steve Bullock (D)
Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney (D)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Montana
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Inside Elections: Toss-up
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2020
Impact of term limits in 2020
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
Montana
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant Governor
Secretary of State
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Attorney General
Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor
Public Service Commission (3 seats)

Greg Gianforte (R) defeated Mike Cooney (D), Lyman Bishop (L), and write-in Chris Hall (I) in the general election for Governor of Montana on November 3, 2020. Incumbent Gov. Steve Bullock (D) was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election.

Montana is one of eight states where a lieutenant governor candidate is chosen by the gubernatorial candidate before the primary and they run as a single ticket in both the primary and the general election. Cooney selected Casey Schreiner (D) as his lieutenant governor candidate, Gianforte selected Kristen Juras (R), Bishop selected John Nesper (L), and Hall selected write-in Darren Hall (I).

Montana had a Democratic governor since 2005 and , at the time of the election, was one of 14 states with a divided government. Democrats held the governorship and Republicans controlled both the state House of Representatives and state Senate. Republicans last held a trifecta in Montana in 2004. Montana was also one of 14 states with divided triplex control, with a Democratic governor, a Republican attorney general, and a Republican secretary of state.

The general election was competitive. The 2012 Montana gubernatorial election was decided by a margin of 1.6 percentage points, and in 2016 Bullock defeated Gianforte by a margin of 3.9 percentage points. In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Montana by a margin of 20 percentage points.

Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Montana modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Counties were authorized to conduct the general election entirely by mail.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

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Candidates and election results

Governor

General election

General election for Governor of Montana

Greg Gianforte defeated Mike Cooney, Lyman Bishop, and Chris Hall in the general election for Governor of Montana on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Greg Gianforte
Greg Gianforte (R)
 
54.4
 
328,548
Image of Mike Cooney
Mike Cooney (D)
 
41.6
 
250,860
Image of Lyman Bishop
Lyman Bishop (L)
 
4.0
 
24,179
Image of Chris Hall
Chris Hall (Independent) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
21

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 603,608
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

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Montana

Mike Cooney defeated Whitney Williams in the Democratic primary for Governor of Montana on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mike Cooney
Mike Cooney
 
54.9
 
81,527
Image of Whitney Williams
Whitney Williams
 
45.1
 
67,066

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 148,593
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 Governor of Montana

Greg Gianforte defeated Tim Fox and Albert Olszewski in the Republican primary for Governor of Montana on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Greg Gianforte
Greg Gianforte
 
53.4
 
119,247
Image of Tim Fox
Tim Fox
 
27.3
 
60,823
Image of Albert Olszewski
Albert Olszewski
 
19.3
 
43,080

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 223,150
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

Green primary election

Green primary for Governor of Montana

Robert Barb advanced from the Green primary for Governor of Montana on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Robert Barb
 
100.0
 
713

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 713
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.

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Lyman Bishop advanced from the Libertarian primary for Governor of Montana.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Lieutenant Governor

General election

General election for Lieutenant Governor of Montana

Kristen Juras defeated Casey Schreiner, John Nesper, and Darren Hall in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of Montana on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Kristen Juras
Kristen Juras (R)
 
54.4
 
328,548
Image of Casey Schreiner
Casey Schreiner (D)
 
41.6
 
250,860
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
John Nesper (L)
 
4.0
 
24,179
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Darren Hall (Independent) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
21

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 603,608
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

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Montana

Casey Schreiner defeated Buzz Mattelin in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Montana on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Casey Schreiner
Casey Schreiner
 
54.9
 
81,527
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Buzz Mattelin
 
45.1
 
67,066

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 148,593
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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Montana

Kristen Juras defeated Jon Knokey and Kenneth Bogner in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Montana on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Kristen Juras
Kristen Juras
 
53.4
 
119,247
Image of Jon Knokey
Jon Knokey
 
27.3
 
60,823
Image of Kenneth Bogner
Kenneth Bogner
 
19.3
 
43,080

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 223,150
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.

Green primary election

Green primary for Lieutenant Governor of Montana

Joshua Thomas advanced from the Green primary for Lieutenant Governor of Montana on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Joshua Thomas
 
100.0
 
713

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 713
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.

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled. John Nesper advanced from the Libertarian primary for Lieutenant Governor of Montana.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[1] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Mike Cooney

Image of Mike Cooney

FacebookTwitter

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Cooney graduated from the University of Montana with a B.S. in political science in 1979. He worked on the staff of Montana U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D) from 1977-1989. Cooney served as executive director of Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies from 2001-2006 before working at the Montana Department of Labor & Industry from 2006-2015 as a division administrator and deputy commissioner.


Key Messages

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

Cooney said one of his priorities was healthcare, and that as lieutenant governor he helped expand access to Medicaid and preserved rural hospitals.

Cooney outlined a coronavirus response plan, the Keep Montana Working Plan, which he said would create jobs, protect businesses, and strengthen Montana’s economy.

Cooney said he had dedicated his career to protecting access to public lands and would continue to do so as governor.

Show sources

Sources: Mike Cooney's 2020 campaign website, "On the Issues," accessed September 17, 2020; YouTube, "More Than Ever," May 5, 2020; YouTube, "Dream Job," September 7, 2020; Cooney's 2020 campaign website, ''Meet Mike'', accessed May 2, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Montana in 2020.

Greg Gianforte

Image of Greg Gianforte

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Gianforte was raised in Wayne, Pennsylvania. He received a bachelor's degree in engineering and a master's degree in computer science from Stevens Institute of Technology. Gianforte moved to Bozeman in 1995 where he founded RightNow Technologies in 1997. In 2012, Gianforte sold RightNow Technologies to Oracle for $1.8 billion. He was the Republican candidate for Montana governor in 2016.


Key Messages

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

Gianforte described himself as a conservative who supported Donald Trump and said he reflected Montana values.

Gianforte said he had experience creating high-wage jobs in Montana while working in the private sector and continuing to do so in Congress would be his top priority.

Gianforte said he would reduce taxes, reduce regulations on businesses, and strengthen Montana’s economy as it recovered from the coronavirus.

Show sources

Sources: Greg Gianforte's 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 17, 2020; Youtube, "Last Best Place," June 14, 2020; YouTube, "Taxes," July 16, 2020; YouTube, "Comeback, Greg Gianforte," August 13, 2020; Montana Standard, "Greg Gianforte made $220M over 10 years," January 3, 2016; LinkedIn, "Greg Gianforte," accessed May 7, 2020; Gianforte's 2020 campaign website, "Meet Greg," accessed May 7, 2020; NJ.com, "Stevens Institute in Hoboken accepts $10 million gift, largest ever, from Gianforte Family Foundation," September 18, 2012

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Montana in 2020.

Lieutenant gubernatorial candidates

Democratic Party Casey Schreiner

State Rep. Casey Schreiner (D-26) was Cooney's lieutenant gubernatorial running mate. According to Cooney's campaign website:

“ Casey Schreiner is a former public school teacher born and raised in Great Falls, a lifetime union member, husband of Teresa Schreiner, and the proud father of three young boys. Casey is a champion for working families because he comes from one.[2] ”
—Cooney's 2020 campaign website, "Meet Casey," accessed May 2, 2020

Republican Party Kristen Juras

Kristen Juras (R) was Gianforte's lieutenant gubernatorial running mate. According to Gianforte's campaign website:

“ A fourth-generation Montanan, Kristen Juras grew up on her family’s ranch near Conrad. As an attorney in private practice in Great Falls, Kristen has helped farmers, ranchers, and small business owners navigate legal issues, and she has provided pro bono services to clients with disabilities who confront homelessness and addiction.[2] ”
—Gianforte's 2020 campaign website, "About Kristen," accessed May 6, 2020

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Montana gubernatorial election: General election polls
Poll Date Democratic Party Cooney Republican Party Gianforte Other Margin of error Sample size Sponsor
Montana State University Billings Oct. 19-24 45% 45% 11% ±4.2 546 --
Political IQ/RMG Research Oct. 15-18 45% 48% 6% ±3.5 800 --
The New York Times/Siena College Oct. 18-20 44% 48% 8% ±4.4 758 --
NBC Montana/Strategies 360 Oct. 15-20 41% 48% 11% ±4.4 500 --
Montana State University Bozeman Sept. 14- Oct. 2 42% 47% 11% ±3.9 1,787 --


Campaign finance

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[3]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[4][5][6]

Race ratings: Montana gubernatorial election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean RepublicanToss-upToss-upToss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Cooney (D) Gianforte (R)
Newspapers and editorials
Billings Gazette[7] ✔
Independent Record[8] ✔
Missoulian[9] ✔
Montana Standard[10] ✔
Elected officials
Gov. Steve Bullock (D)[11] ✔
Vice President Mike Pence (R)[12] ✔
President Donald Trump (R)[13] ✔

Timeline

2020

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic Party Mike Cooney

Supporting Cooney

"Dream Job" - Cooney campaign ad, released September 7, 2020
"More Than Ever" - Cooney campaign ad, released May 5, 2020


Opposing Gianforte

"All Counts" - Cooney campaign ad, released October 27, 2020
"Every Election" - Cooney campaign ad, released October 14, 2020
"At All" - Cooney campaign ad, released October 11, 2020
"Action" - Cooney campaign ad, released September 25, 2020
"Greg GianforTAX" - Cooney campaign ad, released August 4, 2020

Republican Party Greg Gianforte

Supporting Gianforte

"Kristen" - Gianforte campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"Opportunity" - Gianforte campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"Driven" - Gianforte campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"Right Now" - Gianforte campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"Wylie" - Gianforte campaign ad, released August 31, 2020
"Comeback, Greg Gianforte" - Gianforte campaign ad, released August 13, 2020
"Taxes" - Gianforte campaign ad, released July 16, 2020
"Greg Gianforte announces Kristen Juras as Lieutenant Governor candidate and running mate." - Gianforte campaign ad, released March 1, 2020
"Last Best Place" - Gianforte campaign ad, released June 14, 2019


Opposing Cooney

"Doer" - Gianforte campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"30 Years" - Gianforte campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"Forty Four Years" - Gianforte campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"A RATED" - Gianforte campaign ad, released October 23, 2020

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Democratic Party Mike Cooney

Cooney’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Strong Leadership
Leading the state out of the COVID-19 crisis
Even before COVID-19 had come to Montana, Mike was working with Governor Bullock to prepare for the impending pandemic. As a result of their foresight and preparedness, Montana is far better off than many other states in the country. This is the kind of experience that distinguished Mike: he’s dealt with this crisis hands-on and knows what it will take to help Montana come back stronger and more resilient.

As Governor, Mike will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure Montana’s economy doesn’t just come back, it emerges stronger and more resilient than ever before – all the while listening to science and public health experts to make sure Montanans remain healthy and informed. As we continue to steer Montana through this once-in-a-lifetime crisis, we need to keep our eye on the ball. Just because COVID-19 hit doesn’t mean other challenges have gone away.

Good-Paying Jobs
Jumpstarting our economy to Keep Montanans Working
During his time as Lt. Governor, Mike worked with Governor Steve Bullock to build a foundation for a strong economy. Before COVID-19 hit our state, the Montana economy was strong and growing stronger. As COVID-19 reached Montana, Mike continued to bring together businesses, workers, medical experts, and people from both parties to develop a plan to safely restart our economy and get people back to work faster than neighboring states. As Governor, Mike will make sure Montana businesses have the tools and resources they need to bounce back stronger and more resilient than ever and create more good-paying jobs.

The Keep Montana Working Plan will:

  • Establish the Hire Montanans First Act
  • Establish the Buy Made in Montana Act
  • Issue an Executive Order on outsourcing
  • Establish the Office of Rural Prosperity
  • Expand apprenticeship tax credit
  • Expand broadband access, especially in rural Montana
  • Propose legislation to create renewable energy Worker Training Grants
  • Establish the Office of Economic and Workforce Development
  • Empower Montana women in the workforce by continuing the fight for equal pay, offer paid family leave, increasing childcare incentives and investing in public pre-K

Affordable Healthcare
Working across the aisle to Keep Montanans Healthy
As we continue to navigate through a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, access to quality, affordable health care is one of the most important issues facing Montana families. Mike has fought to increase access to quality and affordable healthcare his entire career: from securing coverage for Montana kids as Executive Director of Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies to working across the political spectrum to pass Medicaid expansion in Montana, providing healthcare to thousands of Montanas. As Governor, Mike will continue his efforts to work across the aisle to lower the overall price of healthcare.

The Keep Montana Healthy Plan will:

  • Protect the health and safety of Montanans through the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Preserve and protect Montana’s Medicaid expansion
  • Protect Montanans with pre-existing conditions
  • Bring down the cost of prescription drugs
  • Cap the price of insulin copays
  • End price gouging by Big Pharma companies
  • Increase access to behavioral and rural health care
  • Increase direct-care worker wages
  • Address Native American health disparities

Public Lands
Protecting the Last Best Place
Montanans enjoy some of the best access laws and programs in the United States and Mike knows first-hard how much Montana’s outdoor recreation contributes to the state’s economy. As Montanans, access to our public lands is crucial to our way of life. Mike has dedicated his career to protecting and expanding access to Montana’s public lands. As Governor, Mike will work to ensure that the current work underway to increase access remains, and is strengthened.

The Protect the Last Best Place Plan will:

  • Expand public access and veto any legislation that limits access
  • Strengthen Habitat Montana
  • Establish the Public Access Lands Act
  • Strengthen and support Block Management
  • Unlock public lands and increase landowner participation
  • Expand and maintain Fishing Access Sites and give full funding to Land and Water Conservation Fund
  • Protect Stream Access Laws
  • Establish the Office of Outdoor Recreation

Public Education
Investing in public education and the next generation of Montanans
Mike is the proud product of Butte public schools and sent his three kids to Montana public schools. Casey Schreiner is a former public school teacher. They don’t need a lesson on the importance of public education and the responsibility of leaders to invest in our future. Mike and Casey are committed to finding innovative ways to support educators and increase funding. Mike has a proven record of fighting for Montana’s students when he fought alongside Governor Bullock for access to quality preschool, college tuition freezes, the 6-mill levy, and other initiatives that directly impact students and families all across Montana. Mike also knows there’s more to be done to bring down the costs of Montana’s higher education system and to expand access to learning opportunities. Now more than ever, Montana must protect and invest in our public education system.

The Brighter Montana Future Plan will:

  • Protect the health & safety of students by investing in remote learning resources, offering a lunch debt waiver, and increasing funding for Special Education
  • Reduce college debt and build the state’s workforce
  • Invest in Montana’s future leaders through the establishment of a public pre-K, a college tuition freeze, and a Student Borrower Bill of Rights
  • Support good-paying jobs

Indian Country
Respecting tribal sovereignty while strengthening government-to-government relations
Mike has spent years working directly with tribal leaders on Montana’s reservations on issues from education, to COVID-19, to healthcare, to addressing the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. Since serving in the state legislature and as Secretary of State, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor & Industry, and now Lt. Governor, Mike has a proven track record of working with Montana tribes to increase economic opportunity.

It is imperative that we respect tribal sovereignty while strengthening our government-to-government relationships with Montana’s tribal nations. As Governor, Mike will work directly with tribal leaders to increase access to healthcare, to grow business and job opportunities, to expand investment in tribal colleges, improve voting access, and to preserve the rich history and traditions of Native Americans. With Mike as Governor, the sovereign tribal nations of Montana will have a seat at the table.

Equality for All Montanans Standing up to discrimination and fighting for equality
Mike has always been a vocal supporter of equal protection under the law for all Montanans. Throughout his tenure in public office, he’s opposed any anti-LGBTQ legislation that would discriminate against or deny protection based on sexual identity, gender identity or gender expression. Even though some local jurisdictions across the state now have non-discrimination ordinances in place, the State of Montana still does not. As Governor, Mike will work with the legislature and the courts to ensure that Montanans of all identities, orientations and backgrounds are protected under the full extent of the law.

Affordable Housing
Working with local governments to mitigate the rising costs of housing
Housing affordability is an issue that crosses county and political lines. Addressing this issue will require local and state governments to work together. It is essential that we protect Montana families, students, farmers, ranchers – Republicans and Democrats – from being priced out of their homes by wealthy out-of-staters moving into multi-million dollar homes.

Mike has spent years working with local governments to solve local issues and his approach would be no different with the issue of affordable housing. Tools include Housing Trust Funds, State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and Tax Increment Financing Districts are some of the ways we can make sure communities have the resources they need to address local housing issues, and that we’re protecting our Montana values and way of life.

Climate Change
Mitigating the effects of a changing global climate
Montanans know our climate is changing because we see it in front of our own eyes. Glaciers are melting, crop seasons are getting shorter and more unpredictable, fire seasons are getting longer and more expensive. Across the state folks including farmers, ranchers, outdoorsmen and women, and students agree we must take action to protect Montana for future generations — for our kids and our grandkids — without leaving workers behind. It is essential that we rely on the science behind climate change while making informed decisions that reflect Montana values.

In July of 2019, the Bullock administration joined governors across the country in signing an executive order to join the U.S. Climate Alliance in response to President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Mike proudly stood by the Governor’s side when this was signed and will continue to focus on progressive legislation at the state level addressing climate change as Governor.

Montana has always been an energy leader, and we can continue to be a leader in transitioning to a clean energy economy, supporting good new jobs for Montanans who have helped power the country for decades. As Governor, Mike will be committed to providing renewable energy incentives to encourage the transition to cleaner energy sources. He supports the continuation of the Climate Change Solutions Councils and would invest resources into achieving statewide Greenhouse Gas Neutrality.

Agriculture
Supporting Montana’s number one industry
Agriculture remains Montana’s number one industry, but Montana’s ag industry is hurting right now. It’s critical that we continue to fight for Montana farmers, ranchers and the agriculture industry in Montana. Mike understands production agriculture and the unique challenges family farmers face, particularly given the Trump Administration’s disastrous trade policies, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increasing impacts of a changing climate. As Governor, he’ll work tirelessly to ensure a bright future for our state’s number one economy.

The Growing Montana Plan will:

  • Support good-paying manufacturing jobs
  • Reinstate Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for beef and pork products
  • Support local meat processing and expand the Made in Montana/Grown in Montana labels to meat products
  • Support hemp as a crop
  • Support “Right to Repair” legislation for ranchers and farmers

Veterans
Caring for those who fought for us
Montana’s veterans are an integral part of Montana’s communities and we honor their service and it is our duty to fulfill the promises that we have made to them. As Governor, Mike will be committed to making sure to stand up for Montana’s military families, and make sure they get the care and respect they deserve.

The Supporting America’s Heroes Plan will:

  • Increase investment into suicide prevention
  • Convene a Veteran Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Council
  • Expand access to rural broadband and telemedicine
  • Preserve and protect Medicaid Expansion
  • Strengthen authorization and acceptance of VA education benefits for curriculum and programs
  • Provide for equal and fair treatment of National Guard members
  • Increase the apprenticeship tax credit for veterans and military technical training and certification
  • Streamline Occupational Licensing reciprocity for military family members
  • Support elementary and secondary school transition to include children of the National Guard and Reserve
  • Support military families members entering the workforce
  • Support veteran outreach to ensure services are being delivered
  • Establish a program for donors to give hunting licenses to disabled veterans

[2]

”
—Mike Cooney’s campaign website (2020)[24]


Republican Party Greg Gianforte

Gianforte’s campaign website stated the following:

“

More Opportunity and Good-Paying Montana Jobs
Montana is The Treasure State, but we aren’t creating better opportunities to allow folks to prosper. It’s time for that to change. Greg built a business in Montana, creating more than 500 high-wage Montana jobs.

As Governor, Greg will bring that same business sense to Helena and every corner of our state. Greg will work with all Montanans to use his experience to build a better Montana that brings the American dream into greater reach for all. Creating jobs and greater opportunity for Montanans is his top priority.

Standing With Trump
In Congress, Greg has worked with President Trump to cut taxes, strengthen our economy, secure our borders and roll back unnecessary, burdensome regulations. As Governor, Greg will continue to work with President Trump to put America, and Montana, first.

Education
As Governor, Greg will work with our education leaders on Montana solutions to better prepare our kids for the future so they can thrive. Greg believes our education dollars should go to our classrooms, students and teachers, not eaten up by bureaucracy.

Securing Our Borders
In Congress, Greg worked with President Trump to secure our borders. As Governor, Greg will continue to do the same. Securing our borders must be a priority.

No Tax Increases
As Governor, Greg will say no to tax increases – including no sales tax. More money in the pockets of Montana families and small businesses is better for our state than sending more and more of your hard-earned dollars to feed an ever-expanding government bureaucracy.

Defending Our Second Amendment Rights
The Second Amendment isn’t just about hunting – it’s about our Montana way of life and the freedoms guaranteed to us in our Constitution. As a lifelong sportsman and life member of the NRA, Greg will always protect and defend our Second Amendment rights.

Protecting Public Access to Our Public Lands
Montana’s public lands are second to none. As avid outdoorsmen, Greg and Susan raised their four kids in Montana hiking, fishing and hunting on Montana’s public lands. Greg knows we have to keep our special places special for future generations. As your Congressman, Greg introduced legislation to protect our public lands, and President Trump signed it into law. As your Governor, Greg will ensure our public lands are accessible and stay in public hands.

Keeping Our Communities Safe
As Governor, Greg will work to keep our communities safe. Greg will put forward Montana solutions to combat the epidemic of illegal drugs and work to get addicts healthy again, promoting treatment and recovery. Greg will lead with conviction and compassion to help those in need so we can move people away from dependency and back to the dignity of self-sufficiency. [2]

”
—Greg Gianforte’s campaign website (2020)[25]


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Three of 56 Montana counties—5.4 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Blaine County, Montana 2.46% 15.32% 19.24%
Hill County, Montana 17.18% 3.50% 12.21%
Roosevelt County, Montana 6.49% 15.58% 26.27%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Montana with 56.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 35.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1892 and 2016, Montana voted Republican 65.6 percent of the time and Democratic 34.4 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Montana voted Republican all five times.[26]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Montana. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[27][28]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 34 out of 100 state House districts in Montana with an average margin of victory of 17.6 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 28 out of 100 state House districts in Montana with an average margin of victory of 17.2 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 66 out of 100 state House districts in Montana with an average margin of victory of 28.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 72 out of 100 state House districts in Montana with an average margin of victory of 34.7 points. Trump won 14 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Montana in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Montana, click here.

Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Montana Governor Major party N/A N/A $1,183.97 Percentage of annual salary 3/9/2020 Source
Montana Governor Unaffiliated 12,797 5% of total votes received by winner of the last gubernatorial election $1,183.97 Percentage of annual salary 6/1/2020 Source

Past elections

Montana state government organizational chart
See also: Montana gubernatorial election, 2012

Montana elects governors and lieutenant governors in the presidential elections, that is, in leap years: 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028, etc. Legally, the gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the first Monday in the January following an election.

2016

See also: Montana gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial elections, 2016

General election

Incumbent Steve Bullock & Mike Cooney defeated Greg Gianforte & Lesley Robinson, Ted Dunlap & Ron Vandevender, Casey Filler, and Christopher Zarcone in the Montana governor election.

Montana Governor, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Steve Bullock & Mike Cooney Incumbent 50.25% 255,933
     Republican Greg Gianforte & Lesley Robinson 46.36% 236,115
     Libertarian Ted Dunlap & Ron Vandevender 3.40% 17,312
     Independent Casey Filler 0.00% 0
     Independent Christopher Zarcone 0.00% 0
Total Votes 509,360
Source: Montana Secretary of State

Primary elections

Republican primary contest

Republican primary for Montana governor and lieutenant governor, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Gianforte and Lesley Robinson 76.3% 111,348
Terry Nelson and Niki Sardot 23.7% 34,600
Total Votes 145,948
Election results via Montana Secretary of State 686 of 686 precincts reporting.

Democratic primary contest

Democratic primary for Montana governor and lieutenant governor, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Bullock and Mike Cooney (incumbents) 91.2% 111,675
Bill McChesney and Mike Anderson 8.8% 10,744
Total Votes 122,419
Election results via Montana Secretary of State 686 of 686 precincts reporting.

Libertarian primary contest

Libertarian primary for Montana governor and lieutenant governor, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngTed Dunlap and Ron Vandevender 100% 0
Total Votes 0
Election results via Montana Secretary of State 686 of 686 precincts reporting.

2012

See also: Montana gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2012

Incumbent Brian Schweitzer (D) was prevented from running for re-election due to term limits. Steve Bullock (D), running on a ticket with John E. Walsh, defeated Rick Hill (R), Ron Vandevender (L), and Bill Coate (I) in the November 6, 2012 general election.

Governor/Lieutenant Governor of Montana General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Bullock and John E. Walsh 48.9% 236,450
     Republican Rick Hill and Jon Sonju 47.3% 228,879
     Libertarian Ron Vandevender and Marc Mulcahy 3.8% 18,160
Total Votes 483,489
Election results via Montana Secretary of State


About the offices

Governor

Main article: Governor of Montana

The Montana governor is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch, and the occupant of the highest state office in Montana. The governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two terms in any 16-year span. The 24th and current governor of Montana is Steve Bullock (D). Bullock previously served as Montana attorney general from 2009 to 2012. He was sworn in as governor on January 7, 2013.[29]

See also: Montana State Legislature, Montana House of Representatives, Montana State Senate

Lieutenant governor

Main article: Lieutenant Governor of Montana

The Montana lieutenant governor is an elected constitutional officer, the second-ranking officer of the executive branch, and the first officer in line to succeed the governor of Montana. The lieutenant governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two terms in any 16-year span.

State profile

Demographic data for Montana
 MontanaU.S.
Total population:1,032,073316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):145,5463,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:89.2%73.6%
Black/African American:0.5%12.6%
Asian:0.7%5.1%
Native American:6.5%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2.5%3%
Hispanic/Latino:3.3%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:92.8%86.7%
College graduation rate:29.5%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$47,169$53,889
Persons below poverty level:17%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Montana.
**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.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Montana

Montana voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, three are located in Montana, accounting for 1.46 percent of the total pivot counties.[30]

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Montana had two Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 1.10 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Montana coverage on Ballotpedia

Voter guides

2020 State Cannabis Voter Guides

See also

Montana government:

Previous elections:

Ballotpedia exclusives:

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  4. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  5. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  6. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Billings Gazette, "Gazette endorsement: Greg Gianforte for governor," October 23, 2020
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Independent Record, "An IR View: Cooney is the leader Montana needs right now," October 18, 2020
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Missoulian, "Montana needs Cooney's steady leadership in the Governor's Office," October 18, 2020
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Montana Standard, "Standard endorsement: For governor, we recommend Mike Cooney," October 18, 2020
  11. ↑ Montana Public Radio, "Gov. Bullock Endorses Lt. Gov. Cooney In Gubernatorial Race," October 25, 2019
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 The Hill, "Pence seeks to boost Daines in critical Montana Senate race," September 14, 2020
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Missoulian, "Trump Gianforte endorsement," September 23, 2020
  14. ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2020 Rating Changes," November 2, 2020
  15. ↑ Montana State University Billings, "Mountain States Poll," October 28, 2020
  16. ↑ Political IQ, "MT Governor: Gianforte(R) 48% Cooney(D) 45%," October 25, 2020
  17. ↑ The New York Times/Siena College Research Institute, "MT101820 Crosstabs," October 23, 2020
  18. ↑ NBC Montana, "NBC Montana/Strategies 360 poll shows extremely tight Montana races," October 22, 2020
  19. ↑ Montana State University Bozeman, "TREASURE STATE 2020 POLL RESULTS: THE MONTANA GOVERNOR RACE ," October 14, 2020
  20. ↑ Emerson College, "Montana 2020: Republicans Hold Advantages in Presidential, US Senate and Governor Races," October 7, 2020
  21. ↑ The New York Times/Siena College Research Institute, "MT0920 Crosstabs," September 20, 2020
  22. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named TEXT
  23. ↑ Emerson College, "Montana 2020: Trump Holds Strong as Biden Coalesces Support," August 3, 2020
  24. ↑ Mike Cooney’s campaign website, “On the Issues,” accessed September 17, 2020
  25. ↑ Greg Gianforte’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 17, 2020
  26. ↑ 270towin.com, "Montana," accessed June 29, 2017
  27. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  28. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  29. ↑ KTVQ, "Bullock sworn in as Montana Governor," January 7, 2013
  30. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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