Montana Free Press

Election 2024 Guide

Montana's candidates for state and federal office.

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Last update: Oct 2, 2024
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Jon Tester
Montana Democratic candidate
for U.S. Senate

Jon Tester

Incumbent U.S. senator

Active candidates for U.S. Senate

General election nominees were selected via the June 4, 2024, primary election.

Republican

Democrat

Libertarian

Tester, 68 as of Election Day, is seeking a fourth term in 2024.

A self-described “three-fingered dirt farmer” who still works the family land outside of Big Sandy, Tester positions himself as a champion of rural America and multigenerational “Montana values.”

But he’s also a shrewd politician and capable fundraiser who has repeatedly defied the odds in otherwise Republican-leaning Montana. Now, he’s the influential chair of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.

“Montana needs somebody back in Washington, D.C., who understands rural America. Someone who fights for our freedoms and goes to bat for our veterans, our family farms and ranches, our working families, our health care workers and our teachers,” Tester said.

Tester positions himself as a moderate willing to work with or oppose either Trump or Biden depending on the issue, though Republican critics note he still votes with the Democratic president the overwhelming majority of the time (though less often than most other Democrats).

He says he supports reducing federal spending and protecting access to abortion. He voted for the 2024 bipartisan immigration and foreign aid bill that the majority of the Senate Republican caucus blocked.

He has also expressed concern about Montana’s rising cost of living.

“Simply put, the Montana we know and love is changing,” Tester said. “Everything from housing to groceries is more expensive as out-of-state multimillionaires move here and buy up our land, using Montana as their personal playground. With so much changing, we’ve got to have somebody in the Senate who’s willing to fight for our Montana way of life.”

This biography is based on material Tester provided to MTFP as well as prior MTFP coverage of his campaign.

Campaign links

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ON THE ISSUES

Answers here were solicited from candidates via a written questionnaire conducted by MTFP in April 2024. Responses were limited to 1,000 characters and edited lightly for punctuation and spelling. Candidates were asked to focus on the positives their service would bring the state instead of making rhetorical attacks on their opponents. Responses have not been exhaustively fact-checked.

What do you see as the biggest issue Montana is facing that the Senate is in a position to address? How would you address it if elected or re-elected?
Jon Tester:

Simply put, the Montana we know and love is changing. Everything from housing to groceries is more expensive as out-of-state multimillionaires move here and buy up our land, using Montana as their personal playground. With so much changing, we’ve got to have somebody in the Senate who’s willing to fight for our Montana way of life.

I still farm the land just outside of Big Sandy that my grandparents homesteaded more than 100 years ago. I feel those changes that are going on in Montana right now, every day.

Montana needs somebody back in Washington, D.C. who understands rural America. Someone who fights for our freedoms and goes to bat for our veterans, our family farms and ranches, our working families, our health care workers and our teachers. I’m running to keep up the fight for those folks, and to make sure our kids and grandkids can grow up in the same Montana we know and love. Montana is the greatest state in the greatest country in the world and it’s damn sure not for sale.

Compare to competing candidates
If President Joe Biden is re-elected, how would you want to work with his administration as a senator?
Jon Tester:

My most important job is listening to the voices of Montanans and bringing their perspectives back with me to Washington. I’ll take on anyone from any party — including Joe Biden — to do what’s right for Montana.

There have been times when I’ve worked with him because it helps Montana, like getting my Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill passed to fix roads, bridges, and airports across the state and get internet access into our rural communities. Other times, I’ve stood up to Biden, like demanding he keep Title 42 in place to secure our southern border, and protecting funding for our hunter safety classes after the administration tried to block it. And I worked with Republicans to protect veterans’ Second Amendment rights. My votes are never about toeing the party line — they’re about what’s best for Montana.

We live in the greatest state in the greatest country on Earth, and I’ll fight for what’s best for Montana no matter who the president is.

Compare to competing candidates
Similarly, if former President Donald Trump is elected, how would you want to work with him?
Jon Tester:

When Donald Trump was president, I worked with him to get things done for Montana and he signed more than 20 of my bills into law to help veterans, crack down on government waste and abuse, and support our first responders. If we’re both elected this November, that’s what I’ll continue to do.

I have worked alongside President Trump to pass important legislation like my MISSION Act, which overhauled the VA’s disastrous Choice Program and cut down on bureaucracy so veterans didn’t have to deal with red tape and could get vital care quicker. I was also proud that President Trump signed into law my bills to audit key governmental programs to crack down on fraud and abuse, get critical resources to our rural fire departments across Montana, and protect the East Rosebud river system that south-central Montana knows and loves.

No matter who sits in the White House, I’ll work with them to deliver for Montana, because we live in the greatest state in the greatest country on Earth.

Compare to competing candidates
Do you regard reining in the federal deficit as a priority? If so, in what budget areas would you support spending cuts or tax increases?
Jon Tester:

The deficit is out of control and both parties are to blame. In Montana, we know how to balance a budget and live within our means. That is why I authored a balanced budget proposal. It would protect Social Security and Medicare benefits that our seniors have earned while still forcing the federal government to stop racking up the debt and passing it along to our kids and grandkids. We also need to hold massive corporations accountable and make them pay their fair share.

Compare to competing candidates
Would you support federal legislation that either restricts abortions or guarantees access on a national basis? With what conditions?
Jon Tester:

I do not support a federal ban on abortion.

Montanans of all stripes don’t want the federal government telling them what to do, and they don’t want politicians or judges stripping away their personal freedoms. Just last year, politicians in Montana ignored the voices of the voters and passed abortion bans. I oppose these bans and will always fight to protect Montana women’s freedom to make their own health care decisions.

The last time I ran for reelection, Roe v. Wade had been the law of the land for nearly 50 years. Now, those protections are gone — and the attacks on women’s freedoms and privacy are just beginning. I fought in the Senate to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have enshrined the protections of Roe v. Wade into law.

We’re also seeing attacks on basic fertility treatment like IVF across the country, like when an Alabama court ruling forced IVF clinics to cancel their appointments. I will fight tooth and nail to ensure that never happens in Montana.

Compare to competing candidates
What if anything should Congress do to ensure Montanans have access to affordable housing?
Jon Tester:

As a third generation Montanan, I am worried about what is happening to our state. Our local infrastructure is severely strained, and housing costs are skyrocketing. I am deeply concerned about the housing crisis in Montana, which is forcing families to make tough choices about family homes they’ve owned for decades. Out-of-state millionaires are coming here and buying up our land and using Montana as their personal playground. You shouldn’t need to leave your hometown to get a good-paying job, and you shouldn’t need a million bucks to keep a good roof over your head.

Montana isn’t for sale. I recently introduced a bill to establish a manufactured housing community improvement grant program, to help revitalize Montana’s affordable housing supply. I will continue pushing for my Rural Housing Service Reform Act to improve federal rural housing programs. We need to continue investing in affordable housing programs. I’ll never stop fighting to protect working Montana families.

Compare to competing candidates
To what extent do you see climate change as an urgent issue? What if any action should Congress take to address it?
Jon Tester:

There is no question about it, climate change is impacting our economy and our way of life. Sharla and I see these impacts firsthand on our farm, where significant droughts have led to some of the toughest harvests in recent years.

We should be developing clean energy technologies to tackle climate change, create good-paying American jobs, and secure our energy independence, and Montana has the opportunity to lead the way. China is actively working to beat America in the clean energy sector in hope of taking over as the world’s strongest economy. We can’t afford to lose this competition. That is why we should invest directly in Montana companies researching next-generation energy technologies that are affordable and lower costs for consumers. Traditional energy sources like oil and gas remain a critical part of how we power our country, so we need to continue to invest in research and development of technologies like carbon capture and storage to reduce carbon emissions.

Compare to competing candidates
What if any action should Congress take to change how the nation controls movement across the U.S.-Mexico border?
Jon Tester:

What’s happening on the southern border is unacceptable.

I’ve called on President Biden to step up and do everything in his power to secure the border, and I supported a strong bipartisan deal to get our border under control earlier this year. This bipartisan bill was backed by the National Border Patrol Council and would have hired more border patrol agents, cracked down on the fentanyl crisis, and tightened asylum standards. Unfortunately, many of my colleagues voted to keep the border open for another year so they could campaign on the issue.

I have been talking with Montanans, sheriffs, and mayors, they all are feeling the consequences of the situation at the southern border, from stretched law enforcement budgets to fentanyl in the communities. I was proud that my bipartisan FEND Off Fentanyl Act passed to place sanctions on countries engaged in international trafficking of illegal fentanyl and give law enforcement the resources they need to battle the fentanyl crisis.

Compare to competing candidates
The cost of health care is a concern for many Montanans. What if any federal action would you support to improve the U.S. health care system?
Jon Tester:

Every Montanan deserves access to affordable and quality health care — especially for folks in rural communities where access to health services can mean the difference between life and death. That is why I have fought in the Senate to address health care worker shortages in rural Montana and secured crucial resources for our rural hospitals and clinics, including better funding for emergency services.

There are some politicians who want to fully privatize our health care system. I oppose any plan to do so. This would put our rural hospitals and critical programs like Medicare at risk. I will stand tough against any plan to privatize Medicare, because our seniors shouldn't have to forgo health care just because they can’t afford it. I was proud to pass legislation that allowed Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and capped the cost of insulin for seniors at $35/month — and I will fight to ensure that Montana’s nursing homes stay open and fully-staffed.

Compare to competing candidates
Under what if any circumstances do you believe the U.S. should be providing military support to parties involved in foreign conflicts?
Jon Tester:

As chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee my top priority is to always keep America safe, and ensure Montana stays the greatest state in the greatest country in the world. Our military priorities should lie in protecting America and our allies, and staying ahead of our adversaries like China and Russia who want to replace us as the world’s leading superpower. I’ll fight tooth and nail to defend America from military, economic, and democratic threats.

We should be strategic and only involve America in foreign conflicts when it strengthens our alliances and benefits the United States. The U.S. can’t and shouldn’t get involved in every foreign conflict, but America is safer when we have strong alliances and our allies know they can trust the U.S. to stand by them when facing threats.

My top priority will always be defending Montana and our nation, full stop. I’ll continue fighting to forcefully counter foreign adversaries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

Compare to competing candidates

MTFP COVERAGE OF Tester

CAMPAIGN FINANCE

Based on reporting required by the U.S. Federal Election Commission. See individual candidate committee pages on the FEC website or the FEC race summary page for more information.
Candidate
Raised
Spent
Remaining
Jon Tester (D)
thru 2024-06-30
$43.8M
$33.4M
$10.9M
Tim Sheehy (R)
thru 2024-09-29
$14.1M
$10.8M
$3.2M
Brad Johnson (R)
thru 2024-06-30
$43k
$43k
$0
Charles Walkingchild (R)
No FEC filings on record
$0
$0
$0
The FEC summary page may include candidates who did not file for the ballot in this race with the Montana secretary of state. Additionally, some active candidates may not appear on this list because they are not required to file paperwork with the FEC until they raise or spend $5,000 on their campaigns.

Election outcomes

June 4 primary – Democratic candidates
CandidateVotesPercentage
JON TESTER103,34797.0%
MICHAEL HUMMERT3,2103.0%
Count reported by Montana secretary of state as of Jun 10, 2024.

COMMON VOTING QUESTIONS

When are Montana’s 2024 elections?

Voters picked party nominees for the November general election in the June 4 primary. The November General Election that will decide the ultimate winner in each race is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Who runs Montana’s elections?

Montana elections are administered at the county level. The process is overseen by county clerks and election administrators, who help to train and monitor the volunteer election judges that staff the polls. Ballots are typically processed and counted at central county locations, with the results reported to the Montana secretary of state’s office via a statewide software system called ElectMT.

Once polls close, the secretary of state’s office provides results through its website. The state-level office also provides guidance to local election administrators to ensure compliance with state election laws. Additionally, enforcing compliance with some laws governing political campaigns, particularly those involving campaign finance, falls to a separate office known as the Commissioner of Political Practices.

Do I need to be registered in order to vote?

Yes. If you’re unsure about your registration status, you can check it through the Montana secretary of state's My Voter Page. You can register to vote by stopping by your county election office any time during regular business hours to pick up an application. After you’ve filled it out, you’ll need to get it back to your county election office by mail or in person (the latter option is strongly recommended close to Election Day to ensure your application is received in time). If you do present your application in person, you’ll have to provide a photo ID or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you happen to be applying for a Montana driver’s license or identification card before the election, you can register to vote at the same time.

Can I register to vote on Election Day?

Yes. The state Legislature has sought to enact an earlier registration deadline, but under a March 2024 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court, same-day voter registration remains legal in Montana. Residents can register to vote or update their voter registration at their county’s election office prior to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Does Montana have voter ID requirements?

Yes, you will be required to present identification when voting at the polls. However, under the Montana Supreme Court’s March ruling, changes made to those requirements by the 2021 Legislature remain blocked. The current forms of identification voters can use at the polls are a current Montana driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, tribal or military photo ID, a U.S. passport or a student ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, you can use a utility bill, a bank statement, a voter confirmation card or any other government document that shows your name and address.

Are there situations where I wouldn't be eligible to vote?

According to state law, you can't vote if you'll be under age 18 on Election Day, are not a U.S. citizen, or have lived in Montana less than 30 days. Convicted felons who are currently incarcerated in a penal facility and people whom judges have ruled to be of "unsound mind" are also ineligible to vote. Otherwise, you're good to go.

Can I vote online?

No, that’s not an option in Montana.

Can I vote by mail?

Yes, you can sign up as an absentee voter by checking a box on your voter registration form. If you’re already registered to vote, you can fill out a separate form and submit it to your county election office.

If you’re registered as an absentee voter, a ballot should be mailed to you a few weeks in advance of each election day. You can make sure your address is current via the My Voter page. County election officials are slated to mail ballots to voters for the November 2024 General Election Oct. 11.

You can return ballots by mail, or drop them off in person at your county’s election office. Either way, the election office must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to count it.

How do I vote in person?

If you plan to vote at the polls, just be sure you know where your polling location is and head there between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. You'll need to provide a photo ID or other accepted form of identification and sign the precinct register, at which point you’ll get your ballot and be directed to a voting booth. If you have any technical questions or run into any problems, the election judges at your polling place should be able to help you.

I have a friend or family member who isn't able to drop off his or her mail-in ballot. Can I do it for them?

Yes, you can. The Montana Legislature did make some changes to ballot collection laws in 2021 related to paid ballot collection, but those changes have also been blocked by the Montana Supreme Court.

Who should I vote for?

That’s your call, not ours. We hope the information we present on this guide is helpful as you make that decision for yourself, though.

About this project

This guide was produced by the Montana Free Press newsroom with production by Eric Dietrich, web development by Eric Dietrich and Jacob Olness, editing by Brad Tyer and Nick Ehli and contributions from Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Mara Silvers, Alex Sakariassen, Amanda Eggert and Stephanie Farmer. Questionnaire responses for legislatiive candidates were collected with help from the Montana League of Women Voters, through the league's Vote 411 program. 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. MTFP's news judgments are made entirely independently from donor involvement.

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