2020 Montana elections

2020 Montana elections
November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03)

A general election in the state of Montana was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. One seat in the United States House of Representatives, one seat in the United States Senate, and all five state constitutional offices were up for election.[1] Additionally half of the seats in the Montana Senate, all of the Montana House of Representatives, various local offices and ballot measures were up for election.[1] The primary election was on June 2, 2020.

Federal elections

President

Main article: 2020 United States presidential election in Montana
See also: 2020 Montana Democratic presidential primary
2020 United States presidential election in Montana[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Donald Trump
Mike Pence 		343,602 56.92 +0.75
Democratic Joe Biden
Kamala Harris 		244,786 40.55 +4.80
Libertarian Jo Jorgensen
Spike Cohen 		15,252 2.53 −3.11
Total votes 603,640 100%
Republican win

Congress

Senate

Main article: 2020 United States Senate election in Montana

Incumbent Republican Steve Daines won re-election against former Governor Steve Bullock.[3]

House of Representatives

Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives election in Montana

In the general election, Republican state auditor Matt Rosendale defeated former Democratic state representative Kathleen Williams.[3]

Governor

Main article: 2020 Montana gubernatorial election

Incumbent Representative Greg Gianforte was elected in 2018 with 50.9% of the vote. Gianforte announced he would not seek re-election, instead successfully ran for governor.[4] He defeated incumbent lieutenant governor Mike Cooney with 54.3% of the vote.[3]

Secretary of State

Main article: 2020 Montana Secretary of State election

Incumbent Republican Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton was elected in 2016 with 55.5% of the vote.[5] Stapleton announced he would not seek re-election, instead he ran for the open U.S. House seat in Montana.[6] Republican Christi Jacobsen defeated Democrat Bryce Bennett.[3]

Attorney general

Main article: 2020 Montana Attorney General election

Incumbent Republican Montana Attorney General Tim Fox was re-elected in 2016 with 67.7% of the vote.[5] Fox was term-limited and could not run for re-election. Republican Austin Knudsen defeated Democrat Raph Graybill.[3]

Montana State Senate

Main article: 2020 Montana Senate election

25 of the 50 seats in the Montana Senate were up for election in 2020.

Montana State House

Main article: 2020 Montana House of Representatives election

All 100 seats in the Montana House of Representatives were up for election in 2020.

Public Service Commission

Three of five seats on the Montana Public Service Commission - Districts 2, 3 and 4 - were up for election.[7] In District 2, Republican Tony O'Donnell defeated Democrat Valerie McMurtry.[3] Republican James Brown won District 3 over Democrat Tom Woods.[3] District 4 was taken by Republican Jennifer Fielder against Democrat Monica Tranel.[3]

State Auditor

Main article: 2020 Montana State Auditor election

Incumbent Republican Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale was elected in 2016 with 53.8% of the vote.[5] Rosendale announced he would not seek re-election, instead opting to run for the open U.S. House seat in Montana.[8]

Republican Troy Downing defeated Democrat Shane Morigeau and Libertarian Roger Roots.[3]

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Main article: 2020 Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction election

Incumbent Republican Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen was elected in 2016 with 51.6% of the vote.[5] In 2020, she defeated Democrat Melissa Romano and Libertarian Kevin Leatherbarrow.[3]

Supreme Court

The terms of Montana Supreme Court justices for Seats 5 and 6 expired at the end of 2020. Incumbent Laurie McKinnon was successful in retaining her seat against challenger Mike Black.[3] Incumbent Jim Shea was unopposed.[3]

Ballot measures

Montana C-46

Montana C-46 was an amendment to the constitution proposed by the legislature.[9] This was a result of House Bill No. 244.[9] The change would require anyone who proposed a constitutional amendment to obtain signatures of at least ten percent of the qualified voters in two-fifths of the legislative districts.[9] This did not change existing requirements, rather it amended constitutional language to match existing signature distribution requirements for initiated constitutional amendments.[10] The amendment passed with 76% voting yes.[10]

Montana C-47

Montana C-47 was an amendment to the constitution proposed by the legislature.[11] This was a result of House Bill No. 245.[11] Under this amendment petitions for citizen ballot initiatives must be signed by at least five percent of the qualified electors in one third of the legislative districts. This did not change existing enforced initiative signature distribution requirements, rather it amended constitutional language to match.[12] The amendment passed with 74% voting yes.[12]

Montana CI-118

Montana CI-118 was a constitutional amendment proposed by initiative petition.[13] The amendment would allow for the legislature or a citizen initiative to establish a minimum legal age for the possession, use, and purchase of marijuana.[14] This initiative, as well as Montana I-190 which would legalize marijuana use, were led by New Approach Montana.[14] The amendment passed with 57% voting yes.[14]

Montana LR-130

This referendum was referred by the state legislature through House Bill 357.[15] The reform would limit local government's authority to regulate firearms.[16] It was narrowly passed with 51% voting yes.[17]

Montana I-190

Main article: 2020 Montana Initiative 190

Montana I-190 was a law proposed by initiative petition.[18] It was to legalize the possession and use of limited amounts of marijuana for adults over the age of 21.[18] The initiative passed with 56% voting yes.[19]

Polling

Initiative 190

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		For Against Undecided / Other
MSU Billings[20] Oct. 19–24, 2020 546 (LV) ± 4.2% 54% 38% 7% –
MSU Bozeman[21] Sept. 14 – Oct. 2, 2020 1,607 (LV) ± 3.9% 49% 39% 10% 2%[b]

Legalization of recreational marijuana

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Yes No Undecided
University of Montana[22] Feb. 21 – Mar. 1, 2019 293 (RV) ± 5.7% 51% 37% 12%
University of Montana[23] Feb. 12–22, 2020 498 (LV) ± 4.39% 54% 37% 9%

On Legislative Referendum 130

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Yes (for the amendment) No (against the amendment) Undecided
Montana State University Billings[24] October 19–24, 2020 546 (LV) ± 4.2% 52% 36% 12%

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. ^ Would not vote with 2%

Partisan clients

References

  1. ^ a b "Montana elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  2. ^ "Montana Federal Election Results". Montana Secretary of State. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "2020 Statewide General Election Canvass" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  4. ^ [email protected], HOLLY K. MICHELS (June 6, 2019). "Gianforte files to run for governor in 2020". The Independent Record. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "2016GeneralStatewideCanvass.pdf" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Drake, Phil (June 15, 2019). "Stapleton announces run for U.S. House seat". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "Montana Public Service Commission election, 2020". Ballotpedia.
  8. ^ Pathé, Simone (September 23, 2019). "On heels of Senate loss, Montana's Matt Rosendale running for Congress — again". Roll Call. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c "Ballot language for constitutional amendment No. 46 (C-46)" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Montana C-46, Initiated Amendment Distribution Requirements Measure (2020)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  11. ^ a b "Ballot language for constitutional amendment No. 47 (C-47)" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  12. ^ a b "Montana C-47, Initiated Statute and Referendum Distribution Requirements Amendment (2020)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  13. ^ "Ballot language for constitutional initiative No. 118 (CI-118)" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  14. ^ a b c "Montana CI-118, Allow for a Legal Age for Marijuana Amendment (2020)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  15. ^ "Ballot language for legislative referendum No. 130 (LR-130)" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  16. ^ "Montana LR-130, Limit Local Government Authority to Regulate Firearms Measure (2020)". Ballotpedia.
  17. ^ "Local control takes a hit". Montana Free Press. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  18. ^ a b "Ballot language for initiative No. 190 (I-190)" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  19. ^ "Montana I-190, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2020)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  20. ^ Montana State University Billings
  21. ^ Montana State University Bozeman Archived 2020-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ http://www.umt.edu/bigskypoll/Methodology/BSP%203.0%20Aggregate%20Report%20with%20Xtabs_Final.pdf University of Montana
  23. ^ University of Montana
  24. ^ Montana State University Billings

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

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