Oversees Montana elections and manages state records, as well as serving on the state land board. Elected to a four-year term. Incumbent Corey Stapleton made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. House.
Secretary of State
Candidates
Key coverage in the race for Secretary of State
Race profile: Sparring for secretary of state
Election security and pointed attacks color the race between Christi Jacobsen and Bryce Bennett to succeed Corey Stapleton.
Montana Lowdown: Bryce Bennett
State Sen. Bryce Bennett interviewed by MTFP Editor-In-Chief John Adams before the June 2020 primary
MTN News debate: Secretary of State
Video of Bennett and Jacobsen at their MTN News debate broadcast Sept. 13
Campaign finance
As reported in quarterly filings. Data current through 10/28/2020.
$756,688
Total raised in race
$731,804
Total spent
| Candidate | Total raised | Itemized individual contributions | Committee contributions | Self-financing | Unitemized contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Bennett (D) | $458,718 | $410,590 | $13,120 | $100 | $34,907 |
| Christi Jacobsen (R) | $297,970 | $154,396 | $6,630 | $129,445 | $7,498 |
Note: Self-financing includes candidate contributions and campaign loans. Prior to Jan. 17, 2019, these figures underreported fundraising for state candidates by omitting unitemized contributions. Unitemized contribution totals, which include small-dollar donations, are calculated here by subtracting itemized cash contributions from reported fundraising totals.
Source: Campaign finance reports filed with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices. See the COPP-administered Campaign Electronic Reporting System for official records.
Primary results
Vote totals from Montana's June 2, 2020 primary election.
GOP Secretary of State primary
| Candidate | Votes counted | % of vote | Votes behind |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTI JACOBSEN | 57,935 | 29.4% | 0 |
| SCOTT SALES | 49,760 | 25.3% | 8,175 |
| BRAD JOHNSON | 45,526 | 23.1% | 12,409 |
| FORREST J. MANDEVILLE | 20,317 | 10.3% | 37,618 |
| BOWEN GREENWOOD | 14,080 | 7.1% | 43,855 |
| KURT JOHNSON | 9,346 | 4.7% | 48,589 |
Dem. Secretary of State primary
| Candidate | Votes counted | % of vote | Votes behind |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRYCE BENNETT | 130,107 | 100.0% | 0 |
Media coverage
Stories tracked in our database of 2020 election coverage.
Great Falls Tribune
Secretary of state candidates exchange heated accusations
10/26/2020
Lee Newspapers
Emails show duplicate filing charges for biz filing with SOS
10/25/2020
UM Community News Service
Secretary of State candidates offer voters stark contrasts
10/14/2020
Great Falls Tribune
Secretary of State candidates battle it out in televised debate
09/13/2020
Montana Public Radio
Montana Secretary Of State Candidates Offer Diverging Visions For Election Security
09/01/2020
KPAX
Bennett opens fire on county elections help in MT Secretary of States race
08/18/2020
Montana Public Radio
Bryce Bennett 2020 Election Questionnaire
05/21/2020
Montana Public Radio
Bowen Greenwood 2020 Election Questionnaire
05/21/2020
Montana Public Radio
Christi Jacobsen 2020 Election Questionnaire
05/21/2020
Montana Public Radio
Brad Johnson 2020 Election Questionnaire
05/21/2020
Montana Public Radio
Forrest Mandeville 2020 Election Questionnaire
05/21/2020
Montana Public Radio
Scott Sales 2020 Election Questionnaire
05/21/2020
Associated Press
Montana sees most female statewide candidates in decades
05/13/2020
Great Falls Tribune
GOP candidates overflow in Montana’s primary election race for secretary of state race
05/12/2020
MTN News
Who will emerge from six-way GOP Sec of State primary?
04/16/2020
Daily Inter Lake
Republican hopefuls talk issues in Kalispell
02/22/2020
Havre Herald
Bowen Greenwood Seeks Montana Secretary Of State Post
02/17/2020
Havre Herald
Sales Cites Varied Experience In Seeking Secretary Of State Job
02/17/2020
Montana Public Radio
Political Practices Commissioner Dismisses Complaint Against Secretary Of State Candidate
02/14/2020
Great Falls Tribune
Democrats file complaint against Jacobsen
01/27/2020
Montana Public Radio
Bowen Greenwood Enters Race For Montana Secretary Of State
11/05/2019
Char-Koosta News
Legislator Bryce Bennett fights for your vote
10/30/2019
Great Falls Tribune
Secretary of state aide files to run for boss’s job
10/09/2019
Associated Press
Rep. Forrest Mandeville running for Montana secretary of state
07/31/2019
Lee Newspapers
State Sen. Bryce Bennett running for Montana secretary of state
05/29/2019
Montana Public Radio
Sen. Scott Sales Enters Race For Montana Secretary Of State
03/18/2019
Glasgow Courier
Scott Sales on Campaign for S.O.S.
Havre Daily News
Dem statewide office candidates speak in Havre
Havre Daily News
Bennett faces Jacobsen in 2020 Montanan secretary of state race: Christi Jacobsen
Stay tuned for more
We'll be updating this page with new information through Election Day in November 2020.
Have ideas about additional coverage that would be helpful as you consider your vote? Tell us at edietrich@montanafreepress.org.