Tag: montana
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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…
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Helena to hold first mayoral primary since 2001
Emily Dean, Sonda Gaub, Braxton Hudson, Chris Riccardo, and Andy Shirtliff are running in the nonpartisan primary for mayor of Helena, Montana, on Sept. 9, 2025. This election is the first since 2001 in Helena to require a primary for mayor. According to KTVH, state law "requires local governments to hold primaries if at least…
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Montana is sixth state this year to adopt a ban on foreign spending on ballot measures
Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed House Bill 818 on May 13, making Montana the sixth state in 2025 to adopt a ban on foreign spending in ballot measure campaigns. Montana joins five other states that adopted bans this year—Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, and Wyoming—and ten states that passed similar laws in prior years, bringing the…
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Montana passes legislative oversight bills
The Montana legislature passed two bills which would modify the rulemaking process for state administrative agencies. Both were supported by bipartisan majorities. House Bill 126 was passed by a vote of 100-0 in the House on January 29, 2025; the Senate voted 48-0 on April 9, 2025. Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed it on May…