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Republican Party primaries in Montana, 2022

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2024
2020

Republican Party primaries, 2022

Montana Republican Party.png

Primary Date
June 7, 2022

Federal elections
Republican primaries for U.S. House

State party
Republican Party of Montana
State political party revenue

This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in Montana on June 7, 2022.

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.[1][2]

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

Federal elections

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Montana, 2022 (June 7 Republican primaries)
The 2022 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Montana took place on November 8, 2022. Voters elected two candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's two congressional districts. To see a full list of candidates in the primary in each district, click "Show more" below.
Show more

District 1

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:
Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 2

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

State elections

State Senate

See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2022
The Montana State Senate was one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2022. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2020, 86 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. To see a full list of state Senate candidates in the Republican primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

Montana State Senate elections, 2022

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 1

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMike Cuffe (i)

District 4

Green check mark transparent.pngKyle Waterman

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Fuller
Lee Huestis

District 5

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMark Noland
Rob Tracy

District 8

Green check mark transparent.pngSusan Webber (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngRick Jennison

District 9

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBruce Gillespie (i)

District 11

Green check mark transparent.pngTom Jacobson (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngDaniel Emrich

District 12

Green check mark transparent.pngJacob Bachmeier  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngWendy McKamey
Desma Meissner

District 13

Green check mark transparent.pngCasey Schreiner

Green check mark transparent.pngJeremy Trebas

District 14

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Brewer

Green check mark transparent.pngRussel Tempel (i)
Steven Chvilicek

District 19

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngKenneth Bogner (i)

District 20

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Geraldine Custer
Green check mark transparent.pngBarry Usher

District 22

Green check mark transparent.pngTerry Dennis

Green check mark transparent.pngDaniel Zolnikov

District 24

Green check mark transparent.pngKatharin Kelker

Green check mark transparent.pngElijah Tidswell  Candidate Connection

District 27

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngDennis Lenz

District 29

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngForrest Mandeville

District 30

Green check mark transparent.pngJamie Isaly

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Esp (i)

District 32

Green check mark transparent.pngPat Flowers (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngRandy Chamberlin

District 33

Green check mark transparent.pngDenise Hayman

Green check mark transparent.pngAdam Dewis

District 34

Green check mark transparent.pngDamion Lynn  Candidate Connection

Bryan Haysom
Green check mark transparent.pngShelley Vance

District 41

Green check mark transparent.pngJanet Ellis (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngDave Galt

District 42

Green check mark transparent.pngMary Ann Dunwell  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngMatt Olson  Candidate Connection

District 43

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Schneeberger  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngJason Ellsworth (i)
Joede Vanek

District 48

Green check mark transparent.pngShane Morigeau (i)  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngJacob Van Horn

District 49

Green check mark transparent.pngWillis Curdy

Nancy Burgoyne
Green check mark transparent.pngBrad Tschida

District 50

Tom Steenberg (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngAndrea Olsen

Green check mark transparent.pngNick Knowles  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Lauren Subith 


House of Representatives

See also: Montana House of Representatives elections, 2022
The Montana House of Representatives was one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2022. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2020, 86 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. To see a full list of state House candidates in the Republican primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

Montana House of Representatives elections, 2022

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
  • * = The primary was canceled and the candidate advanced.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 1

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Gunderson (i)

District 2

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngNeil Duram (i)

District 3

Green check mark transparent.pngAndrea Getts  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngBraxton Mitchell (i)  Candidate Connection
Lorena Wood  Candidate Connection

Libertarian Party

This primary was canceled.

Did not make the ballot:
Austen Lee Nelson  (Libertarian Party)

District 4

Green check mark transparent.pngKimberly Pinter

Green check mark transparent.pngMatt Regier (i)

District 5

Green check mark transparent.pngDave Fern (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngLyn Bennett
Brian Owens

Did not make the ballot:
Katherine Butterfield 

District 6

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngAmy Regier (i)

District 7

Green check mark transparent.pngAngela Kennedy

Dave Ingram
Green check mark transparent.pngCourtenay Sprunger

District 8

The Democratic primary was canceled.


David Dunn
Green check mark transparent.pngTerry Falk
Lynne Ogden Rider
Mark Twichel

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngSid Daoud*
District 9

The Democratic primary was canceled.


David August
Green check mark transparent.pngTony Brockman
Constance Neumann

District 10

Green check mark transparent.pngMark Phillips

Green check mark transparent.pngBob Keenan

District 11

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Devon Decker
Ronalee Skees  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngTanner Smith

Did not make the ballot:
Lee Huestis 

District 12

Green check mark transparent.pngSterling Laudon  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngLinda Reksten (i)

District 13

Green check mark transparent.pngColleen Hinds

Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Fielder (i)

District 14

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngDenley Loge (i)
Randy Mitchell

District 15

Green check mark transparent.pngMarvin Weatherwax Jr. (i)
Thedis Crowe
Adrien Owen Wagner

Green check mark transparent.pngRalph Foster
Bethsaida Johnson

District 16

Green check mark transparent.pngTyson Running Wolf (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 17

Green check mark transparent.pngBarnett Sporkin-Morrison

Green check mark transparent.pngRoss Fitzgerald (i)
Justin Cleveland

District 18

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngLlew Jones (i)

District 19

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRuss Miner

District 20

Green check mark transparent.pngSamantha Rispens  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngFred Anderson (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Trent Short 

District 21

Green check mark transparent.pngLela Graham

Green check mark transparent.pngEdward Buttrey (i)

District 22

Green check mark transparent.pngNick Henry  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngLola Sheldon-Galloway (i)

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngAnthony Rosales  Candidate Connection
District 23

Brad Hamlett
Green check mark transparent.pngMelissa Smith

Green check mark transparent.pngScot Kerns (i)

District 24

Green check mark transparent.pngBarbara Bessette

Green check mark transparent.pngSteven Galloway (i)

District 25

Green check mark transparent.pngJasmine Krotkov

Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Gist (i)

District 26

Green check mark transparent.pngKari Rosenleaf

Marci Marceau
Green check mark transparent.pngGeorge Nikolakakos

District 27

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngJoshua Kassmier (i)

District 28

Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Tuss

Green check mark transparent.pngEd Hill (i)

District 29

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngDoug Flament (i)

District 30

Green check mark transparent.pngWendy Palmer

Green check mark transparent.pngJames Bergstrom
Randyn Gregg

Did not make the ballot:
Harry Klock 

District 31

Green check mark transparent.pngFrank Smith (i)
Kaci Wallette

Green check mark transparent.pngArlie Gordon

District 32

Green check mark transparent.pngJonathan Windy Boy (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 33

Green check mark transparent.pngJordan Ophus  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngCasey Knudsen (i)

District 34

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRhonda Knudsen (i)

District 35

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBrandon Ler (i)

District 36

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBob Phalen (i)

District 37

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngJerry Schillinger (i)

District 38

Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Muggli

Wyatt English
Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Kmetz
Mike Willems

District 39

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngGary Parry

District 40

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Robert Goffena
Bruce Hoiland
John Nickelson
Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Oblander

Did not make the ballot:
Amy Angel 

District 41

Green check mark transparent.pngRynalea Whiteman Pena (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Green

Did not make the ballot:
Craig Mehling 

District 42

Green check mark transparent.pngSharon Stewart-Peregoy (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngVirginia McDonald

District 43

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngKerri Seekins-Crowe (i)

District 44

Green check mark transparent.pngMelissa Smith

Green check mark transparent.pngLarry Brewster (i)

District 45

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngKatie Zolnikov (i)

District 46

Green check mark transparent.pngTim Warburton

Green check mark transparent.pngBill Mercer (i)

District 47

Green check mark transparent.pngDenise Baum

Green check mark transparent.pngThomas Madigan

District 48

Green check mark transparent.pngJennifer Merecki

Green check mark transparent.pngJodee Etchart

Did not make the ballot:
Elijah Tidswell 

District 49

Green check mark transparent.pngEmma Kerr-Carpenter (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Wylie

District 50

Green check mark transparent.pngJames Reavis
Erin Tate

Green check mark transparent.pngMallerie Stromswold (i)

District 51

Green check mark transparent.pngCarole Boerner

Green check mark transparent.pngMike Yakawich (i)

District 52

Green check mark transparent.pngJenna Martin

Green check mark transparent.pngSherry Essmann (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Rodney Garcia 

District 53

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngNelly Nicol

District 54

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngTerry Moore (i)

District 55

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngLee Deming
Curtis Schomer

Did not make the ballot:
Colin Nygaard 

District 56

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngSue Vinton (i)

District 57

Green check mark transparent.pngThomas Flanagan  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngFiona Nave (i)

District 58

Green check mark transparent.pngJudith Gregory

Green check mark transparent.pngBrad Barker  Candidate Connection

District 59

Green check mark transparent.pngRuth Weissman  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngMarty Malone (i)  Candidate Connection

Libertarian Party

This primary was canceled.

Did not make the ballot:
Tyler Vance  (Libertarian Party)

District 60

Green check mark transparent.pngLaurie Bishop (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngDan Skattum

Libertarian Party

This primary was canceled.

Did not make the ballot:
Roger Roots  (Libertarian Party)

District 61

Green check mark transparent.pngJim Hamilton (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngPeter Bower

District 62

Green check mark transparent.pngEd Stafman (i)  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngMarc Greendorfer  Candidate Connection

District 63

Green check mark transparent.pngAlice Buckley (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngCatherine Purcell

Did not make the ballot:
Kyle Voigtlander 

District 64

Green check mark transparent.pngAlanah Griffith  Candidate Connection
Michelle Vered

Green check mark transparent.pngJane Gillette (i)

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngDoug Campbell*
District 65

Green check mark transparent.pngKelly Kortum (i)  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngJames Cocco
Ryan Eisele

District 66

Green check mark transparent.pngEric Matthews

The Republican primary was canceled.


Did not make the ballot:
Neal Ganser 

District 67

Green check mark transparent.pngElizabeth Marum  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngJedediah Hinkle (i)

District 68

Green check mark transparent.pngJoe Hancock  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Casey Shorna 

Green check mark transparent.pngCaleb Hinkle (i)
Bruce Grubbs

District 69

Green check mark transparent.pngRocky Hamilton

Green check mark transparent.pngJennifer Carlson (i)

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngCarl Mohler Jr.*
District 70

Jeremiah Dawson
Green check mark transparent.pngJon Jackson

Green check mark transparent.pngJulie Darling (i)

District 71

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngKenneth Walsh (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Christian Pederson 
Jackson Duprey 

District 72

Green check mark transparent.pngHolt Gibson

Green check mark transparent.pngTom Welch (i)

District 73

Green check mark transparent.pngArt Noonan

Green check mark transparent.pngJason Freeman

District 74

Green check mark transparent.pngDerek Harvey (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngJim Kephart

District 75

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMarta Bertoglio (i)
Timothy McKenrick

District 76

Green check mark transparent.pngDonavon Hawk (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngSuzzann Nordwick

District 77

Green check mark transparent.pngSara Novak (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Fitzpatrick

District 78

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngGregory Frazer (i)
Steven Grant

District 79

Green check mark transparent.pngLaura Smith  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngDennison Rivera

District 80

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBecky Beard (i)

District 81

Green check mark transparent.pngMelissa Romano
Jacob Torgerson
Jake Troyer  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Ben Kuiper 

Charlie Hull
Green check mark transparent.pngJill Sark

District 82

Green check mark transparent.pngMary Caferro (i)
Craig Sundberg

Green check mark transparent.pngAlden Tonkay

District 83

Green check mark transparent.pngKim Abbott (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngBob Leach  Candidate Connection

District 84

Green check mark transparent.pngJill Cohenour
Noah Horan

Kurt Aughney
Keith Pigman  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngKaitlyn Ruch

District 85

Green check mark transparent.pngRosan Stover

Did not make the ballot:
Laura Jackson 

Green check mark transparent.pngMichele Binkley (i)

District 86

Green check mark transparent.pngAnne Brown

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Bedey (i)
Jeffrey Jones

District 87

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRon Marshall (i)

District 88

Green check mark transparent.pngKo Moua

Alan Lackey
Green check mark transparent.pngWayne Rusk

District 89

Green check mark transparent.pngKatie Sullivan (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngGary Wanberg

District 90

Green check mark transparent.pngMarilyn Marler (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngAlan Ault

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngJosiah Hinkle*
District 91

Green check mark transparent.pngConnie Keogh (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngTony Pawlisz

Did not make the ballot:
Lana Hamilton 

District 92

Green check mark transparent.pngGary Stein

Green check mark transparent.pngMike Hopkins (i)

District 93

Green check mark transparent.pngShirley Azzopardi

Green check mark transparent.pngJoe Read (i)

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngDevin Braaten*
District 94

Green check mark transparent.pngTom France (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngRebecca Mapston

District 95

Green check mark transparent.pngSJ Howell

Green check mark transparent.pngLauren Subith

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngJ.C. Windmueller*
District 96

Green check mark transparent.pngJonathan Karlen  Candidate Connection
Linda Swanson

Did not make the ballot:
Maggie Bornstein 

Green check mark transparent.pngKathy Whitman (i)

District 97

Green check mark transparent.pngDevin Jackson  Candidate Connection

Michael Burks
Green check mark transparent.pngLyn Hellegaard

District 98

Green check mark transparent.pngBob Carter  Candidate Connection
Andy Nelson

Green check mark transparent.pngSonia Shearer-Hiett

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngRichard Armerding*
District 99

Green check mark transparent.pngMark Thane (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngRyan Darling

District 100

Dave Severson  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngZooey Zephyr

Green check mark transparent.pngSean McCoy

Libertarian Party

Green check mark transparent.pngMichael Vanecek*


State executive offices

See also: Montana state executive official elections, 2022

Two state executive offices were up for election in Montana in 2022:

Public Service Commissioner (2 seats)

To see a full list of candidates in the Republican primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

Public Service Commissioner

District 1

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:
Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 5

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

Primary election competitiveness

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2022

This section contains information about the primary election competitiveness of election in Montana. For more information about this data, click here.


U.S. House competitiveness

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in Montana in 2022. Information below was calculated on April 11, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

In 2022, 20 candidates filed to run for Montana's two U.S. House districts, including nine Republicans, six Democrats, four Libertarians, and one independent. That's an average of 10 candidates per district.

This was the first filing deadline under Montana's new district lines adopted during the state's decennial redistricting process. Due to population growth, Montana gained a second congressional district ahead of the 2022 elections.

Incumbent Rep. Matt Rosendale (R), previously the state's at-large representative, filed to run in the 2nd Congressional District. He drew three Republican primary challengers. Overall, the 2nd District drew the largest candidate field at 11, including four Republicans, three Democrats, three Libertarians, and one Independent.

With Rosendale running in the 2nd District, this left the 1st District race open, marking the second election cycle in a row with one open U.S. House district in Montana. In 2020, Greg Gianforte (R) did not seek re-election to the U.S. House, choosing instead to run for governor, which he won.

State executive competitiveness

State legislative competitiveness

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Montana in 2022. Information below was calculated on April 13, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Thirty incumbent state legislators in Montana—24% of those with expiring terms—were ineligible to file for re-election in 2022 because of the state’s term limit laws. These laws guarantee open districts on a regular basis since those incumbents are barred from running.

Montana’s term limits had the largest effect on the state Senate where they left 12 of the 25 districts holding elections (48%) open. In the House, 18 of the 100 districts up for election (18%) were left open due to term limits.

In addition to the 30 term-limited legislators, 10 other incumbents did not file for re-election, one in the Senate and nine in the House. Overall, term limits accounted for 75% of the open districts in Montana in 2022, the largest percentage since 2014.

In Montana, one of 15 states with state legislative term limits, legislators can serve eight years in office during any 16-year period. These are not lifetime limits, meaning legislators can run again after spending the requisite amount of time out of office.

Montana’s limits are also chamber-specific, meaning that while a term-limited senator cannot seek re-election to the Senate, he or she can file to run in the House and vice versa. In 2022, two term-limited Senators filed to run for the House:

Overall, 272 major party candidates filed to run in 2022. That’s 2.2 candidates per district, the largest such figure since 2016, which had 2.5 candidates per district.

This was Montana’s first candidate filing deadline as a Republican trifecta since 2004. From 2005 to 2020, Montana had a divided government until Republicans gained the governorship with the election of Greg Gianforte (R).

Context of the 2022 elections

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

State party overview

Republican Party of Montana

See also: Republican Party of Montana

State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Republican state party affiliates.


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]


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.[15]

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.[16][17]

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.


See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed April 19, 2023
  2. Christi Jacobsen Montana Secretary of State,"Frequently Asked Questions," accessed April 19, 2023
  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
  15. 270towin.com, "Montana," accessed June 29, 2017
  16. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  17. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017