2020 Montana elections

2020 Montana Statewide Executive Offices elections

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All 6 Statewide Executive Offices
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 4 2
Seats won 6 0
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 2

A general election in the state of Montana was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, with the primary elections being held on June 2, 2020. Voters will elect one member to United States House of Representatives and all five state constitutional offices, among other elected offices.

Governor[edit]

Secretary of state[edit]

Incumbent Republican Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton was elected in 2016 with 55.5% of the vote.[1] Stapleton has announced he would not seek re-election, instead running for the open U.S. House seat in Montana.[2]

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Declared[edit]
Declined[edit]

Results[edit]

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christi Jacobsen 57,749 29%
Republican Scott Sales 49,596 25%
Republican Brad Johnson 45,388 23%
Republican Forrest Mandeville 20,258 10%
Republican Bowen Greenwood 14,036 7%
Republican Kurt Johnson 9,321 5%
Total votes 196,348 100%

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Declared[edit]

Results[edit]

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bryce Bennett 130,109 100%
Total votes 130,109 100%

General election[edit]

Polling[edit]

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Christi Jacobsen (R) Bryce Bennett (D) Undecided
Bryce Bennett Released August 20–26, 2020 [a] ± 4.4% 39% 36% 22%

Results[edit]

Montana Secretary of State election, 2020[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christi Jacobsen 352,939 59.56% Increase4.07
Democratic Bryce Bennett 239,617 40.44% Decrease0.53
Total votes 592,556 100.00%

Attorney general[edit]

Incumbent Republican Montana Attorney General Tim Fox was re-elected in 2016 with 67.7% of the vote.[1] Fox is term-limited and cannot run for re-election. Fox decided to run for the Governor of Montana election.[10]

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Nominee[edit]
Eliminated in primary[edit]
  • Jon Bennion, chief deputy Attorney General[12]

Results[edit]

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Austin Knudsen 116,113 60%
Republican Jon Bennion 78,161 40%
Total votes 194,274 100.0

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Nominee[edit]
Eliminated in primary[edit]
Withdrawn[edit]
  • Jim Cossitt, bankruptcy attorney[14][15]
Declined[edit]

Results[edit]

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Raph Graybill 79,772 57%
Democratic Kimberly Dudik 59,963 43%
Total votes 139,735 100.0

Green primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Disqualified[edit]

Results[edit]

Green primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Green Roy Davis 748 100.0%
Total votes 748 100.0%

General election[edit]

Polling[edit]

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Austin
Knudsen (R)
Raph
Graybill (D)
Other Undecided
Change Research October 29 – November 2, 2020 920 (LV) ± 3.5% 50% 44% 5%[c] 2%
Raph Graybill[1][A] Released September 3, 2020 [d] 38% 38% 20%

Results[edit]

Montana Attorney General election, 2020
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Austin Knudsen 348,322 58.51% {{{change}}}
Democratic Raph Graybill 247,025 41.49%
Total votes 595,347 100.00%

Montana State Senate[edit]

Montana State House[edit]

Public Service Commission[edit]

Three of five seats on the Montana Public Service Commission - Districts 2, 3 and 4 - were up for election on November 3, 2020, with party primaries scheduled for June 2.[18]

State auditor[edit]

Incumbent Republican Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale was elected in 2016 with 53.8% of the vote.[1] Rosendale announced he would not seek re-election, instead opting to run for the open U.S. House seat in Montana.[19]

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Nominee[edit]
  • Troy Downing, businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018[20]
Eliminated in primary[edit]
  • Nelly Nicol, businesswoman[21]
  • Scott Tuxbury, insurance underwriting firm owner[22]
Declined[edit]

Results[edit]

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Troy Downing 97,053 50%
Republican Scott Tuxbury 58,085 30%
Republican Nelly Nicol 39,172 20%
Total votes 194,310 100.0

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Nominee[edit]
Eliminated in primary[edit]
  • Mike Windsor, attorney[22]

Results[edit]

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shane Morigeau 78,374 61%
Democratic Mike Windsor 49,064 39%
Total votes 127,438 100.0

General election[edit]

Results[edit]

Montana State Auditor election, 2020[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Troy Downing 326,742 55.32% {{{change}}}
Democratic Shane Morigeau 232,634 39.39%
Libertarian Roger Roots 31,267 5.29%
Total votes 590,643 100.00%

Superintendent of Public Instruction[edit]

Incumbent Republican Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen was elected in 2016 with 51.6% of the vote.[1]

Republican primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Declared[edit]

Results[edit]

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elsie Arntzen (incumbent) 177,595 100%
Total votes 177,595 100%

Democratic primary[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Declared[edit]
  • Melissa Romano, fourth grade teacher and nominee for Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2016[25]

Results[edit]

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Melissa Romano 132,351 100%
Total votes 132,351 100%

General election[edit]

Polling[edit]

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Elsie
Arntzen (R)
Melissa
Romano (D)
Other /
Undecided
Strategies 360/NBCMT October 15–20, 2020 500 (LV) ± 4.4% 39% 41% 21%[e]

Results[edit]

Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2020[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Elsie Arntzen (incumbent) 310,111 52.19% {{{change}}}
Democratic Melissa Romano 259,886 43.74%
Libertarian Kevin Leatherbarrow 24,202 4.07%
Total votes 594,199 100.00%

Supreme Court[edit]

The terms of Montana Supreme Court justices for Seats 5 and 6 expire at the end of 2020. A nonpartisan primary for the two seats is scheduled for June 2, and the nonpartisan election on November 3.[26]

Ballot measures[edit]

  • Montana LR-130, Limit Local Government Authority to Regulate Firearms Measure[27]
  • Montana C-46, Initiated Amendment Distribution Requirements Measure[28]
  • Montana C-47, Initiated Statute and Referendum Distribution Requirements Amendment[29]
  • Montana CI-118, Allow for a Legal Age for Marijuana Amendment[30]
  • Montana I-190, the Montana Marijuana Legalization and Tax Initiative

Polling[edit]

On Initiative 190
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
For Initiative 190 Against Initiative 190 Other Undecided
Montana State University Billings October 19–24, 2020 546 (LV) ± 4.2% 54% 38% 7%
Montana State University Bozeman Archived 2020-10-19 at the Wayback Machine September 14 – October 2, 2020 1,607 (LV) ± 3.9% 49% 39% 2%[f] 10%
On whether recreational marijuana should be legal
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Yes No Undecided
University of Montana February 12–22, 2020 498 (LV) ± 4.39% 54% 37% 9%
University of Montana February 21 – March 1, 2019 293 (RV) ± 5.7% 51% 37% 12%
On Legislative Referendum 130
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Yes (for the amendment) No (against the amendment) Undecided
Montana State University Billings October 19–24, 2020 546 (LV) ± 4.2% 52% 36% 12%

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Not yet released
  2. ^ a b c d e Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  3. ^ "Don't recall" with 3%; Did not vote with 2%; Would not vote with 0%
  4. ^ Not yet released
  5. ^ Leatherbarrow (L) with 5%; Undecided with 16%
  6. ^ Would not vote with 2%
Partisan clients
  1. ^ Poll conducted for Graybill's campaign

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "2016GeneralStatewideCanvass.pdf" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Drake, Phil (June 15, 2019). "Stapleton announces run for U.S. House seat". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Michiels, Holly K. (November 5, 2019). "Greenwood running for secretary of state". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  4. ^ "Montana secretary of state aide files to run for boss's job". Helena Independent Record. October 8, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Lutey, Tom (March 9, 2020). "Montana's PSC chairman running again for secretary of state". Billings Gazette.
  6. ^ "Rep. Forrest Mandeville running for Montana secretary of state". Helena Independent Record. Associated Press. July 31, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  7. ^ Michiels, Holly K. (March 18, 2019). "State Senate president Scott Sales announces bid for secretary of state in 202". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  8. ^ Michels, Holly K. (May 29, 2019). "State Sen. Bryce Bennett running for Montana secretary of state". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c "Montana Statewide Election Results". Montana Secretary of State. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  10. ^ Dennison, Mike (January 24, 2019). "Attorney General Fox launches gubernatorial bid". KRTV. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  11. ^ Drake, Phil (May 20, 2019). "Austin Knudsen enters race for attorney general". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  12. ^ a b DeMarco, Margaret (May 8, 2019). "Great Falls native kicks off campaign for Montana Attorney General". KRTV Great Falls. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  13. ^ Cates-Carney, Corin (December 17, 2018). "Rep Kimberly Dudik Announces Bid For Attorney General's Office". Montana Public Radio. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  14. ^ "KALISPELL ATTORNEY JOINS ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE". Daily Inter Lake. September 14, 2019. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  15. ^ Drake, Phil (October 8, 2019). "Cossitt drops from 2020 attorney general race". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  16. ^ Dennison, Mike (October 23, 2019). "Montana 2020: Former state auditor considers bid for AG or Supreme Court". Missoula News Journal. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  17. ^ Dennison, Mike (August 19, 2020). "Green Party candidates to remain off Montana ballot this November". Missoula Current. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  18. ^ "Montana Public Service Commission election, 2020". Ballotpedia.
  19. ^ a b Pathé, Simone (September 23, 2019). "On heels of Senate loss, Montana's Matt Rosendale running for Congress — again". Roll Call. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  20. ^ Drake, Phil (June 26, 2019). "Downing running for state auditor in 2020". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  21. ^ Drake, Phil (October 3, 2019). "Nicol enters 2020 race for Montana state auditor". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  22. ^ a b "Here are the local, state and federal candidates on Helena-area ballots". Helena Independent Record. March 9, 2020.
  23. ^ Michels, Holly K. (June 30, 2019). "Missoula Democrat Shane Morigeau running for state auditor post". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  24. ^ "State superintendent Elsie Arntzen announces campaign for second term". 8 KPAX. MTN News. June 12, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  25. ^ Michels, Holly K. (April 30, 2019). "Romano to take another run at top education job in 2020". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  26. ^ "Montana Supreme Court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia.
  27. ^ "Montana LR-130, Limit Local Government Authority to Regulate Firearms Measure (2020)". Ballotpedia.
  28. ^ "Montana C-46, Initiated Amendment Distribution Requirements Measure (2020)". Ballotpedia.
  29. ^ "Montana C-47, Initiated Statute and Referendum Distribution Requirements Amendment (2020)". Ballotpedia.
  30. ^ "Montana CI-118, Allow for a Legal Age for Marijuana Amendment (2020)". Ballotpedia.

External links[edit]

Official campaign websites for Secretary of State
Official campaign websites for Attorney General
Official campaign websites for State Auditor
Official campaign websites for Superintendent of Public Instruction