Election Guide '22

The candidates and issues on Montana's 2022 ballot

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The 2022 election was the first in decades when Montana voters selected not one but two U.S. representatives to advocate for the state's interests in Congress. Also up for the vote was control of the Montana Legislature, two seats on the state's utility regulation board and two seats on the Montana Supreme Court.

The first step for the political hopefuls was the June 7 primary election, where Montana voters chose nominees to represent each of the state's recognized political parties in November general election (independent candidates could qualify for the November ballot if they collected enough signatures). The general election was held the Nov. 8.


U.S. House District 1 (West)

Western Montana representative in Congress. District includes Missoula, Bozeman, Kalispell and Butte.
Nov. 8 general election vote
50%
120,288
46%
112,273
4%
9,307
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of 11/14/22
MissoulaMiles CityKalispellHavreButteBozemanHelenaBillingsGreat Falls
Republican
June 7 Republican primary vote
42%
35,601
40%
33,927
10%
8,915
6%
4,973
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of 7/19/22
Each party's winning candidate in the June 7 primary will advance to the Nov. 8 general election.

U.S. House District 2 (East)

Eastern Montana representative in Congress. District includes Billings, Helena, Havre and Miles City.
Nov. 8 general election vote
57%
120,915
22%
46,919
20%
42,911
1%
2,975
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of 11/14/22
MissoulaMiles CityKalispellHavreButteBozemanHelenaBillingsGreat Falls
Each party's winning candidate in the June 7 primary will advance to the Nov. 8 general election. Independent candidates gather signatures to qualify for the general election ballot.

Public Service Commission District 1

One of five seats on Montana's utility regulation board (three seats are out of cycle). District includes Great Falls and the Hi-Line.
Nov. 8 general election vote
100%
56,063
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of 11/14/22
MissoulaMiles CityKalispellHavreButteBozemanHelenaBillingsGreat Falls
Without a Democratic candidate in the race, Pinocci's victory in the June 7 primary leaves him the only candidate on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election.

Public Service Commission District 5

One of five seats on Montana's utility regulation board. District includes Kalispell and Helena.
Nov. 8 general election vote
56%
52,840
44%
40,805
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of 11/14/22
MissoulaMiles CityKalispellHavreButteBozemanHelenaBillingsGreat Falls
Each party's winning candidate in the June 7 primary will advance to the Nov. 8 general election.

Montana Supreme Court (Seat 1)

One of seven seats on Montana's state Supreme Court (five of seven seats are out of cycle). Elected on a statewide basis.
Nov. 8 general election vote
78%
302,593
22%
87,092
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of 11/14/22
Judical elections are officially nonpartisan. The two candidates for the seat who received the most votes in the June 7 primary will advance to the Nov. 8 general election.

Montana Supreme Court (Seat 2)

One of seven seats on Montana's state Supreme Court (five of seven seats are out of cycle). Elected on a statewide basis.
Nov. 8 general election vote
46%
197,905
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of 11/14/22
Judical elections are officially nonpartisan. The two candidates for the seat who received the most votes in the June 7 primary will advance to the Nov. 8 general election.
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Ballot initiatives

Two issues have qualified for the November general election ballot, both referred to voters by the 2021 Montana Legislature:

  • C-48 — Would amend the Montana Constitution to specify that “electronic data and communications” are included in the clause that protects Montanans from “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Sponsored by Sen. Kenneth Bognar, R-Miles City, the measure passed the Legislature last year with bipartisan support. An MTFP story on the initiative is here. C-48 passed on an 82-18 margin.

  • LR-131 — A measure formally titled the "Montana Born-Alive Infant Protection Act” that passed the Republican-held Legislature on near party-lines. The act would require that medical professionals perform life-sustaining care on any “born-alive” infant regardless of their health prognosis or parental wishes. Noncompliant providers could be charged with a felony and face up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. An MTFP story on debate over the initiative is here. LR-131 failed on a 47-53 margin.

Backers of several other measures sought unsuccessfully to place them on the 2022 ballot by initiative, but weren't able to collect enough voter signatures.

More information on proposed ballot measures is available on the Montana secretary of state's website.

Montana Legislature

Montanans elect 100 state representatives to two-year terms and 25 of 50 state senators to four-year terms in each even-year election. In 2022, two additional senate districts were also on the ballot. Voters in SD 15 filled the vacancy left by Sen. Ryan Osmundson's appointment as the governor's budget director and voters in SD 39 filled the vacancy left by the May death of Sen. Mark Sweeney.

Your district's candidates

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All legislative candidates

DistrictPartyCandidateCampaign links
HD 01
RSTEVE GUNDERSON (Incumbent)FacebookTwitter
HD 02
RNEIL A. DURAM (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 03
DANDREA GETTSWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RBRAXTON MITCHELL (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagram
HD 04
DKIMBERLY PINTER
RMATT REGIER (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 05
RLYN BENNETTWebFacebook
DDAVE FERN (Incumbent)Web
HD 06
RAMY REGIER (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 07
DANGELA KENNEDYWebFacebookInstagram
RCOURTENAY SPRUNGERWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 08
LSID DAOUDWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RTERRY FALKWebFacebookInstagram
HD 09
RTONY BROCKMANWebFacebookInstagram
HD 10
RBOB KEENAN
DMARK H PHILLIPS
HD 11
RTANNER J SMITHFacebook
HD 12
DSTERLING JAMES LAUDONFacebookInstagram
RLINDA REKSTEN (Incumbent)WebFacebookTwitter
HD 13
RPAUL C FIELDER (Incumbent)Facebook
DCOLLEEN HINDSWebFacebook
HD 14
RDENLEY M LOGE (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 15
RRALPH FOSTERFacebook
DMARVIN R. WEATHERWAX JR (Incumbent)FacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 16
DTYSON RUNNING WOLF (Incumbent)FacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 17
RROSS H FITZGERALD (Incumbent)FacebookInstagramTwitter
DBARNETT G. SPORKIN-MORRISONFacebook
HD 18
RLLEW JONES (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 19
RRUSSEL MINERWebFacebook
HD 20
RFRED ANDERSON (Incumbent)FacebookTwitter
DSAMANTHA RISPENS
HD 21
RED BUTTREY (Incumbent)WebFacebook
DLELA GRAHAMWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 22
DNICK R. D. HENRYFacebook
LTONY ROSALES
RLOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (Incumbent)WebFacebook
HD 23
RSCOT KERNS (Incumbent)FacebookTwitter
DMELISSA SMITHWebFacebookTwitter
HD 24
DBARBARA BESSETTEFacebookTwitter
RSTEVEN GALLOWAY (Incumbent)WebFacebook
HD 25
RSTEVE GIST (Incumbent)WebFacebook
DJASMINE KROTKOVWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 26
RGEORGE NIKOLAKAKOSWebFacebook
DKARI ROSENLEAFFacebook
HD 27
RJOSH KASSMIER (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 28
RED HILL (Incumbent)Facebook
DPAUL TUSSWebFacebook
HD 29
RDOUGLAS FLAMENT (Incumbent)
HD 30
RJAMES H BERGSTROM
DWENDY PALMER
HD 31
RARLIE W GORDONFacebook
DFRANK J. SMITH (Incumbent)
HD 32
DJONATHAN WINDY BOY (Incumbent)
HD 33
RCASEY JAMES KNUDSEN (Incumbent)Facebook
DJORDAN OPHUS
HD 34
RRHONDA KNUDSEN (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 35
RBRANDON LER (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 36
RBOB PHALEN (Incumbent)FacebookTwitter
HD 37
RJERRY SCHILLINGER (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 38
RGREG KMETZFacebook
DSTEVE MUGGLIFacebook
HD 39
RGARY PARRYFacebook
HD 40
RGREG OBLANDERWebFacebook
HD 41
RPAUL GREENFacebook
DRYNALEA WHITEMAN PENA (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 42
RVIRGINIA MCDONALD
DSHARON STEWART PEREGOY (Incumbent)
HD 43
RKERRI SEEKINS-CROWE (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagram
HD 44
RLARRY BREWSTER (Incumbent)Facebook
DMELISSA SMITHWeb
HD 45
RKATIE ZOLNIKOV (Incumbent)WebFacebook
HD 46
RBILL MERCER (Incumbent)
DTIM WARBURTONFacebookTwitter
HD 47
DDENISE BAUMFacebook
RTHOMAS J MADIGANFacebook
HD 48
RJODEE ETCHARTWebFacebook
DJENNIFER MERECKIWebFacebookTwitter
HD 49
DEMMA KERR-CARPENTER (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RJEFF WYLIEFacebookTwitter
HD 50
DJAMES REAVISWebFacebookTwitter
RMALLERIE C STROMSWOLD (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 51
DCAROLE BOERNERWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RMIKE YAKAWICHFacebook
HD 52
RSHERRY ESSMANN (Incumbent)WebFacebook
DJENNA MARTINFacebookInstagram
HD 53
RNELLY NICOLFacebookTwitter
HD 54
RTERRY MOORE (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 55
RLEE DEMINGFacebook
HD 56
RSUE VINTON (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 57
DTHOMAS E FLANAGANWebFacebookInstagram
RFIONA B NAVE (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 58
RBRAD BARKERFacebook
DJUDITH P GREGORYFacebook
HD 59
RMARTY MALONE (Incumbent)Facebook
DRUTH WEISSMANWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 60
DLAURIE BISHOP (Incumbent)FacebookInstagramTwitter
RDAN SKATTUMFacebookTwitter
HD 61
RPETER BOWER
DJIM HAMILTON (Incumbent)FacebookTwitter
GSTEVE KELLY
HD 62
RMARC GREENDORFER
DED STAFMAN (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 63
DALICE BUCKLEY (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RCATHERINE PURCELLWebFacebookTwitter
HD 64
LDOUG CAMPBELLFacebookInstagram
RJANE GILLETTE (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagram
DALANAH GRIFFITHWebFacebook
HD 65
RJAMES COCCOFacebook
DKELLY KORTUM (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 66
DERIC MATTHEWS
HD 67
RJEDEDIAH HINKLE (Incumbent)WebFacebook
DELIZABETH MARUMWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 68
DJOE HANCOCKWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RCALEB HINKLE (Incumbent)WebFacebook
HD 69
RJENNIFER CARLSON (Incumbent)WebFacebook
DROCKY HAMILTONWebFacebookInstagram
LCARL MOHLER JRFacebookInstagram
HD 70
RJULIE DOOLING (Incumbent)Facebook
DJON JACKSONFacebook
HD 71
RKEN WALSH (Incumbent)WebFacebook
HD 72
DHOLT GIBSON
RTOM WELCH (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 73
RJASON FREEMAN
DJENNIFER LYNCH
HD 74
DDEREK J HARVEY (Incumbent)FacebookTwitter
RJAMES W KEPHARTFacebook
HD 75
RMARTA BERTOGLIO (Incumbent)FacebookInstagram
HD 76
DDONAVON HAWK (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RSUZZANN NORDWICKWebFacebookTwitter
HD 77
RJOHN FITZPATRICKFacebook
DSARA NOVAK (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 78
RGREGORY LEE FRAZER (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 79
RKEITH PIGMANFacebook
DLAURA SMITHWebFacebookTwitter
HD 80
RBECKY BEARD (Incumbent)
HD 81
DMELISSA ROMANOFacebookInstagramTwitter
RJILL SARKFacebook
HD 82
DMARY M CAFERROWebFacebookTwitter
RALDEN TONKAYWebFacebookInstagram
HD 83
DKIM ABBOTT (Incumbent)WebFacebookTwitter
RBOB LEACH
HD 84
DJILL COHENOURFacebookTwitter
RKAITLYN RUCHWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 85
RMICHELE BINKLEY (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagram
DROSAN STOVER
HD 86
RDAVID BEDEY (Incumbent)Facebook
DANNE W BROWN
HD 87
RRON MARSHALL (Incumbent)Facebook
IWILL LOVETT MOORE
HD 88
DKO MOUAFacebookInstagram
RWAYNE RUSKFacebook
HD 89
DKATIE SULLIVAN (Incumbent)WebFacebookTwitter
RGARY WANBERGFacebook
HD 90
RALAN AULTFacebook
LJOSIAH HINKLEFacebook
GGARY MARBUTWebFacebook
DMARILYN MARLER (Incumbent)FacebookInstagram
HD 91
DCONNIE KEOGH (Incumbent)FacebookInstagram
RANTHONY PAWLISZFacebook
HD 92
RMIKE HOPKINS (Incumbent)FacebookTwitter
DGARY M. STEIN
HD 93
DSHIRLEY AZZOPARDIFacebook
LDEVIN J BRAATENFacebookTwitter
RJOE READ (Incumbent)Facebook
HD 94
DTOM FRANCE (Incumbent)WebFacebookTwitter
RREBECCA MAPSTONWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
HD 95
DSJ HOWELLFacebookInstagramTwitter
RLAUREN SUBITHFacebook
LJ.C. WINDMUELLER
HD 96
DJONATHAN KARLENWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RKATHY WHITMAN (Incumbent)WebFacebook
HD 97
RLYN HELLEGAARDFacebook
DDEVIN JACKSONWebFacebookTwitter
HD 98
LRICHARD L ARMERDINGWeb
DBOB CARTERWebFacebook
RSONIA SHEARER-HIETTFacebook
HD 99
RRYAN DARLING
DMARK THANE (Incumbent)WebFacebookTwitter
HD 100
RSEAN PATRICK MCCOY
LMICHAEL VANECEK
DZOOEY ZEPHYRFacebookInstagramTwitter
SD 01
RMICHAEL J CUFFE (Incumbent)Facebook
SD 04
RJOHN FULLERWebInstagram
DKYLE WATERMANWebFacebookInstagram
SD 05
RMARK NOLANDFacebook
SD 08
RRICK JENNISON
DSUSAN A WEBBER (Incumbent)Facebook
SD 09
RBRUCE "BUTCH" GILLESPIE (Incumbent)WebFacebook
SD 11
RDANIEL EMRICHFacebook
DTOM JACOBSON (Incumbent)FacebookTwitter
SD 12
DJACOB BACHMEIERFacebookInstagramTwitter
RWENDY MCKAMEYWebInstagramTwitter
SD 13
DCASEY SCHREINERWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RJEREMY TREBASWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
SD 14
DDAVID H BREWER
RRUSSEL E TEMPEL (Incumbent)
SD 15
RDAN BARTEL (Incumbent)Facebook
DCINDY PALMER
SD 19
RKENNETH BOGNER (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
SD 20
RBARRY USHERWebFacebookTwitter
SD 22
DTERRY DENNISWebFacebook
RDANIEL ZOLNIKOVWebInstagram
SD 24
DKATHY KELKERWebFacebookTwitter
RELIJAH TIDSWELLWebFacebookInstagram
SD 27
RDENNIS LENZFacebook
SD 29
RFORREST JAMES MANDEVILLEFacebookTwitter
SD 30
RJOHN ESP (Incumbent)Facebook
DJAMIE L ISALYWebFacebook
SD 32
RRANDY CHAMBERLIN
DPAT FLOWERS (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
SD 33
RADAM DEWIS
DDENISE HAYMANFacebookTwitter
SD 34
DDAMION LYNNWebFacebookInstagram
RSHELLEY VANCEWeb
SD 39
DJESSE MULLENWebFacebookTwitter
RTERRY VERMEIRE
SD 41
DJANET ELLIS (Incumbent)WebFacebook
RDAVE GALTWebFacebook
SD 42
DMARY ANN DUNWELLWebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RMATT OLSON
SD 43
RJASON W ELLSWORTH (Incumbent)WebFacebook
DJOHN F SCHNEEBERGERWebFacebookInstagram
SD 48
DSHANE A. MORIGEAU (Incumbent)WebFacebookInstagramTwitter
RJACOB VAN HORN
SD 49
DWILLIS CURDYWebFacebook
RBRAD TSCHIDAFacebookTwitter
SD 50
RNICK KNOWLES
DANDREA OLSENWebFacebookTwitter

Other Montana offices, including governor, secretary of state, attorney general and Jon Tester's U.S. Senate seat, aren't up for election until 2024.

About this project

This guide was produced by the Montana Free Press newsroom with design and web development by Eric Dietrich, editing by Brad Tyer and contributions from Amanda Eggert, Mara Silvers, Alex Sakariassen and Anna Ries-Roncalli. Contact Eric Dietrich with questions, corrections or suggestions at edietrich@montanafreepress.org.

Montana Free Press is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit, reader-supported news organization serving Montana. MTFP's donor base includes supporters from across Montana's political spectrum, including some Montanans who are candidates in this year's election. MTFP's major donors are listed here and a current list of other supporters is available here.

This project is sponsored in part by AARP Montana. MTFP’s fiscal sponsors have no involvement in our newsroom's editorial decisions.

This material is available for republication by other media outlets under Montana Free Press' standard distribution terms.

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