2024 Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction election
November 5, 2024
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Hedalen: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% O'Brien: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The 2024 Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the superintendent of public instruction of the state of Montana. It coincided with the concurrent presidential election, as well as various state and local elections, including for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and governor of Montana. Incumbent superintendent of public instruction Elsie Arntzen was term-limited and ran for U.S. House of Representatives.[1] Republican Susie Hedalen defeated Democrat Shannon O'Brien to succeed Arntzen.[2] Primary elections took place on June 4, 2024.[3]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Susie Hedalen | 99,717 | 62.30% | |
| Republican | Sharyl Allen | 60,352 | 37.70% | |
| Total votes | 160,069 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Shannon O'Brien, educator[7]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Shannon O'Brien | 94,474 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 94,474 | 100.00% | ||
| Elections in Montana |
|---|
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Susie Hedalen (R) |
Shannon O'Brien (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Opinion Strategies (R)[8][A] | September 29 - October 1, 2024 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.34% | 43% | 36% | 2%[b] | 18% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Susie Hedalen | 348,360 | 59.32% | +7.13% | |
| Democratic | Shannon O'Brien | 238,880 | 40.68% | −3.06% | |
| Total votes | 587,240 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
By county
| County[9] | Susie Hedalen Republican |
Shannon O'Brien Democratic |
Margin | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| Beaverhead | 3,995 | 70.82% | 1,646 | 29.18% | 2,349 | 41.64% | 5,641 |
| Big Horn | 1,983 | 44.84% | 2,439 | 55.16% | -456 | -10.31% | 4,422 |
| Blaine | 1,383 | 46.30% | 1,604 | 53.70% | -221 | -7.40% | 2,987 |
| Broadwater | 3,743 | 79.59% | 960 | 20.41% | 2,783 | 59.17% | 4,703 |
| Carbon | 4,830 | 66.71% | 2,410 | 33.29% | 2,420 | 33.43% | 7,240 |
| Carter | 733 | 89.83% | 83 | 10.17% | 650 | 79.66% | 816 |
| Cascade | 21,884 | 59.72% | 14,761 | 40.28% | 7,123 | 19.44% | 36,645 |
| Chouteau | 1,811 | 63.70% | 1,032 | 36.30% | 779 | 27.40% | 2,843 |
| Custer | 4,148 | 73.25% | 1,515 | 26.75% | 2,633 | 46.49% | 5,663 |
| Daniels | 731 | 80.07% | 182 | 19.93% | 549 | 60.13% | 913 |
| Dawson | 3,492 | 77.76% | 999 | 22.24% | 2,493 | 55.51% | 4,491 |
| Deer Lodge | 2,090 | 44.01% | 2,659 | 55.99% | -569 | -11.98% | 4,749 |
| Fallon | 1,253 | 87.50% | 179 | 12.50% | 1,074 | 75.00% | 1,432 |
| Fergus | 4,884 | 74.63% | 1,660 | 25.37% | 3,224 | 49.27% | 6,544 |
| Flathead | 41,377 | 67.20% | 20,200 | 32.80% | 21,177 | 34.39% | 61,577 |
| Gallatin | 32,912 | 48.93% | 34,355 | 51.07% | -1,443 | -2.15% | 67,267 |
| Garfield | 725 | 93.79% | 48 | 6.21% | 677 | 87.58% | 773 |
| Glacier | 1,765 | 35.12% | 3,261 | 64.88% | -1,496 | -29.77% | 5,026 |
| Golden Valley | 435 | 84.14% | 82 | 15.86% | 353 | 68.28% | 517 |
| Granite | 1,502 | 71.29% | 605 | 28.71% | 897 | 42.57% | 2,107 |
| Hill | 3,672 | 55.75% | 2,914 | 44.25% | 758 | 11.51% | 6,586 |
| Jefferson | 5,561 | 68.27% | 2,585 | 31.73% | 2,976 | 36.53% | 8,146 |
| Judith Basin | 1,029 | 77.19% | 304 | 22.81% | 725 | 54.39% | 1,333 |
| Lake | 9,803 | 59.36% | 6,711 | 40.64% | 3,092 | 18.72% | 16,514 |
| Lewis and Clark | 21,448 | 52.06% | 19,749 | 47.94% | 1,699 | 4.12% | 41,197 |
| Liberty | 713 | 74.43% | 245 | 25.57% | 468 | 48.85% | 958 |
| Lincoln | 8,811 | 76.66% | 2,682 | 23.34% | 6,129 | 53.33% | 11,493 |
| Madison | 4,526 | 72.89% | 1,683 | 27.11% | 2,843 | 45.79% | 6,209 |
| McCone | 902 | 86.40% | 142 | 13.60% | 760 | 72.80% | 1,044 |
| Meagher | 893 | 77.72% | 256 | 22.28% | 637 | 55.44% | 1,149 |
| Mineral | 2,026 | 76.74% | 614 | 23.26% | 1,412 | 53.48% | 2,640 |
| Missoula | 27,421 | 38.65% | 43,528 | 61.35% | -16,107 | -22.70% | 70,949 |
| Musselshell | 2,546 | 86.39% | 401 | 13.61% | 2,145 | 72.79% | 2,947 |
| Park | 6,205 | 54.16% | 5,251 | 45.84% | 954 | 8.33% | 11,456 |
| Petroleum | 282 | 86.77% | 43 | 13.23% | 239 | 73.54% | 325 |
| Phillips | 1,705 | 79.90% | 429 | 20.10% | 1,276 | 59.79% | 2,134 |
| Pondera | 1,899 | 68.83% | 860 | 31.17% | 1,039 | 37.66% | 2,759 |
| Powder River | 921 | 85.99% | 150 | 14.01% | 771 | 71.99% | 1,071 |
| Powell | 2,408 | 75.23% | 793 | 24.77% | 1,615 | 50.45% | 3,201 |
| Prairie | 542 | 80.06% | 135 | 19.94% | 407 | 60.12% | 677 |
| Ravalli | 20,449 | 70.55% | 8,535 | 29.45% | 11,914 | 41.11% | 28,984 |
| Richland | 4,192 | 82.68% | 878 | 17.32% | 3,314 | 65.36% | 5,070 |
| Roosevelt | 1,810 | 47.64% | 1,989 | 52.36% | -179 | -4.71% | 3,799 |
| Rosebud | 2,426 | 66.98% | 1,196 | 33.02% | 1,230 | 33.96% | 3,622 |
| Sanders | 6,068 | 77.45% | 1,767 | 22.55% | 4,301 | 54.89% | 7,835 |
| Sheridan | 1,230 | 69.53% | 539 | 30.47% | 691 | 39.06% | 1,769 |
| Silver Bow | 7,294 | 41.29% | 10,373 | 58.71% | -3,079 | -17.43% | 17,667 |
| Stillwater | 4,702 | 80.62% | 1,130 | 19.38% | 3,572 | 61.25% | 5,832 |
| Sweet Grass | 1,798 | 76.90% | 540 | 23.10% | 1,258 | 53.81% | 2,338 |
| Teton | 2,444 | 70.55% | 1,020 | 29.45% | 1,424 | 41.11% | 3,464 |
| Toole | 1,520 | 76.38% | 470 | 23.62% | 1,050 | 52.76% | 1,990 |
| Treasure | 366 | 84.14% | 69 | 15.86% | 297 | 68.28% | 435 |
| Valley | 2,887 | 72.98% | 1,069 | 27.02% | 1,818 | 45.96% | 3,956 |
| Wheatland | 853 | 80.70% | 204 | 19.30% | 649 | 61.40% | 1,057 |
| Wibaux | 426 | 82.24% | 92 | 17.76% | 334 | 64.48% | 518 |
| Yellowstone | 50,906 | 63.82% | 28,854 | 36.18% | 22,052 | 27.65% | 79,760 |
| Totals | 348,360 | 59.32% | 238,880 | 40.68% | 109,480 | 18.64% | 587,240 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Hill (largest city: Havre)
- Lewis and Clark (largest city: Helena)
By congressional district
Hedalen won both congressional districts.[10]
| District | Hedalen | O'Brien | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 55% | 45% | Ryan Zinke |
| 2nd | 64% | 36% | Matt Rosendale (118th Congress) |
| Troy Downing (119th Congress) |
Notes
Partisan clients
- ^ Poll sponsored by the Montana Republican Party
References
- ^ West, Bowen (February 12, 2024). "Arntzen announces run for Congress". NBC News. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
- ^ https://montanafreepress.org/2024/11/06/republican-susie-hedalen-to-take-the-helm-at-montanas-office-of-public-instruction/
- ^ "2024 State Primary Election Dates". www.ncsl.org. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
- ^ https://www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2023-07-21/susie-hedalen-announces-campaign-to-lead-the-office-of-public-instruction
- ^ https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/state_government/two-gop-candidates-one-dem-running-for-superintendent-of-public-instruction/article_b775b66e-4cee-11ee-ae77-fb307722d422.html
- ^ a b Jacobsen, Christi (June 4, 2024). "2024 STATEWIDE PRIMARY ELECTION CANVASS" (PDF). Secretary of State of Montana. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 25, 2025. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
- ^ https://dailymontanan.com/2023/09/05/two-gop-candidates-one-dem-running-for-superintendent-of-public-instruction/
- ^ Public Opinion Strategies (R)
- ^ a b Jacobsen, Christi (November 5, 2024). "2024 STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION CANVASS". Secretary of State of Montana. Archived from the original on September 24, 2025. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
- ^ https://electionresults.mt.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=STATE&map=CTY