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Montana state legislative Republican primaries, 2018

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2018 Montana
State Legislature elections
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GeneralNovember 6, 2018
PrimaryJune 5, 2018
2018 elections
Choose a chamber below:


The Republican primary elections for the seats in the Montana State Senate and Montana House of Representatives were on June 5, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in Montana, click here.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 12, 2018. In the state Senate, 25 of 50 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 100 seats were up for election.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • As of November 2017, Montana was one of 18 states under divided government and not one of the 32 states under a state government trifecta. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.


    • Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

    Retiring incumbents

    Fourteen Republican state House incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:

    Five Republican state Senate incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:

    Incumbents defeated

    One Republican state Senate incumbent was defeated in their primary:

    Competitiveness

    See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Montana state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

    There were 34 open seats in 2018, which was less than the 49 open seats in 2016 but more than the 18 open seats in 2014. The 18 contested Democratic primaries was up from 15 in 2016 but down from 21 in 2014. The 20 contested Republican primaries was down from 38 in 2016 and 2014. The 266 candidates running was down from 308 in 2016 and 294 in 2014.

    Year Total seats Open seats Total candidates Democratic primaries contested Republican primaries contested Total contested Incumbents contested in primaries Total incumbents contested in primaries
    2018 125 37 266 18 20 15.2% 10 11.4%
    2016 125 49 308 15 38 21.2% 13 17.1%
    2014 125 18 294 21 38 23.6% 18 16.8%

    Partisan control

    The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Montana House of Representatives and the Montana State Senate as of June 2018:

    Montana House of Representatives

    Party As of June 2018
         Democratic Party 41
         Republican Party 59
         Vacancies 0
    Total 100

    Montana State Senate

    Party As of June 2018
         Democratic Party 18
         Republican Party 32
         Vacancies 0
    Total 50

    Voter information

    How the primary works

    A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Montana utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[3][4]

    For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

    Poll times

    In Montana, polling place must be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., although in areas with fewer than 400 registered voters, polling places may open as late as 12:00 p.m.[5]

    Registration requirements

    Check your voter registration status here.

    To register to vote in Montana, each applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a non-temporary resident of Montana for at least 30 days prior to the election, and at least 18 years old by the day of the election.[6] People serving a felony sentence in a penal institution and those who have been declared by a court to be of unsound mind are not eligible to vote.[7]

    An individual can register to vote in person by completing a registration application at their county election office. They can register by mailing the application to their county election administrator or submitting it when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or state ID. Applicants may also register to vote at their county election offices, certain designated locations, or at their designated polling location on Election Day.[7][8]

    Automatic registration

    See also: Automatic voter registration

    Montana does not practice automatic voter registration.

    Online registration

    See also: Online voter registration

    Montana does not permit online voter registration.

    Same-day registration

    See also: Same-day voter registration

    Montana allows same-day voter registration. An eligible voter may register before noon on Election Day.[9]

    Residency requirements

    In order to register to vote in Montana, applicants must have lived in the state for at least 30 days prior to the election. Montana law says an individual does not gain residency if they relocate for, "temporary work, training, or an educational program, without the intention of making that county or the state the individual's permanent home at the conclusion of the temporary work, training, or educational program."[10]

    Verification of citizenship

    See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

    Montana does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

    All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[11] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

    Verifying your registration

    The site My Voter Page, run by the Montana secretary of state’s office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

    Voter ID requirements

    Montana requires voters to present identification while voting.

    Montana's voter identification requirements are outlined in Section 13-13-114 of Montana Code. The law states, "Before an elector is permitted to receive a ballot or vote, the elector shall present to an election judge one of the following forms of identification showing the elector's name that is current, valid, and readable:"[12]

    “
    • (i) a Montana driver's license, Montana state identification card issued pursuant to 61-12-501, military identification card, tribal photo identification card, United States passport, or Montana concealed carry permit, or student photo identification card issued by the Montana university system or a school that is a member of the national association of intercollegiate athletics; or
    • (ii) (A) a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that shows the elector's name and current address; and (B) photo identification that shows the elector's name.[13]
    		 ”

    Early voting

    Montana permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

    Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

    Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

    Absentee voting

    All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Montana. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[14]

    To vote absentee, an absentee ballot application must be received by county election officials by noon the day prior to the election. A returned absentee ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day in order to be counted.[14]


    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ If one missed the Oct. 9 deadline, he or she could have still voted in the election by registering in person at the county election office. Late registration was available until the close of polls on Election Day.
    2. ↑ If one missed the Oct. 9 deadline, he or she could have still voted in the election by registering in person at the county election office. Late registration was available until the close of polls on Election Day.
    3. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed April 19, 2023
    4. ↑ Christi Jacobsen Montana Secretary of State,"Frequently Asked Questions," accessed April 19, 2023
    5. ↑ Montana Code Annotated 2023, "§ 13-1-106. Time of opening and closing of polls for all elections -- exceptions," accessed June 10, 2025
    6. ↑ Montana law says an individual does not gain residency if they relocate for "temporary work, training, or an educational program, without the intention of making that county or the state the individual's permanent home at the conclusion of the temporary work, training, or educational program." See HB 413 from 2025 for more information.
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Montana Secretary of State, “Montana Voter Registration Application,” accessed June 10, 2025
    8. ↑ Montana Motor Vehicle Division, “Additional Considerations when Getting Your License or ID,” accessed June 10, 2025
    9. ↑ Montana Legislative Services, "SB 490: Revise election laws regarding late registration," accessed June 9, 2025
    10. ↑ Montana Legislative Services, "HB 413: Revise election laws regarding residency," accessed June 9, 2025
    11. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
    12. ↑ Montana Code Annotated 2023, "§ 13-13-114. Voter Identification And Marking Precinct Register Book Before Elector Votes -- Provisional Voting," accessed June 9, 2025
    13. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Montana Secretary of State, “Voting by Absentee Ballot,” accessed June 10, 2025
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