Tag: montana
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Two incumbents lost in Montana Senate primaries, the most in one year since 2010
Two Republican incumbents lost in the Montana Senate primaries on June 2. This was the first year since 2010 in which more than one incumbent lost in the chamber's primaries. At the start of Montana's 2025 state legislative session, nine Republican senators voted with the chamber's Democrats to change procedural rules for the session. In…
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Montana voters have decided on 266 ballot measures since statehood in 1889
Between 1889, when Montana became a state, and 2025, Montana voters decided on 266 ballot measures. Of those, 165 (62%) were approved, and 101 (38%) were defeated. The Montana State Legislature voted to refer 163 ballot measures to the state ballot between 1889 and 2025, while 99 citizen initiatives were on the statewide ballot. Additionally,…
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Montana Senate Republican primaries reflect conflict between moderate and more conservative candidates
The June 2 Republican primaries for Montana Senate will be the first since the Montana Republican Party censured a group of Republican senators for voting with Democrats during the 2025 legislative session. At the start of Montana's 2025 state legislative session, nine Republican senators voted with the chamber's Democrats to change procedural rules for the…
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Montana has the highest number of contested state legislative primaries at any point since 2010
Montana has 64 contested state legislative primaries in 2026, up 8% from 2024 and the highest number at any point since 2010. Of these, there are 20 for Democrats and 44 for Republicans. For Democrats, this is up from 15 in 2024, a 33% increase. The number of contested Republican primaries in 2026 is the…
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Three U.S. House primaries in Montana are contested this year — tying with 2024 for the second-most since 2014
This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Montana was March 4, 2026. Three primaries — two Democratic and one Republican — are contested this year. There were three contested primaries in 2024, four in 2022, two in 2020, one in 2018, none in 2016, and two in 2014.…
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Sen. Steve Daines becomes the 10th U.S. senator to announce he won't seek re-election in 2026
Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) announced on March 4, 2026, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2026. In announcing his retirement, Daines said, “Serving the people of Montana in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career, and I am…
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Rep. Ryan Zinke becomes the 52nd U.S. House member who is not seeking re-election in 2026
Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) announced on March 2, 2026, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. In a statement announcing his retirement, Zinke said, “Service is a duty that I will always hold sacred, and I am grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. As for my…
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Eleven states take action on federal school choice tax credit program in January
As of Jan. 26, 11 states had taken action this month to indicate participation in the federal school choice tax credit program. Twenty-one states in total have indicated participation in the program. Entities designated under each state's law to make elections on behalf of the state regarding federal tax benefits can decide to opt a…
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Emily Dean and Andy Shirtliff to face off in election for Helena mayor
Emily Dean and Andy Shirtliff are running in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of Helena, Montana, on Nov. 4, 2025. Shirtliff and Dean advanced from the nonpartisan primary on Sept. 9, 2025. Shirtliff received 48.33% of the vote and Dean received 36.53%. This election was the first since 2001 in Helena to require a…
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Andy Shirtliff and Emily Dean advance from nonpartisan primary for mayor of Helena, Montana
On Sept. 9, Andy Shirtliff and Emily Dean advanced from the nonpartisan primary for mayor of Helena, Montana. Shirtliff received 48.33% of the vote and Dean received 36.53%. The general election is on Nov. 4, 2025. Sonda Gaub, Braxton Hudson, and Chris Riccardo also ran in the nonpartisan primary. This election was the first since…