Montana became a territory May 28, 1864 and the first delegation created nine counties: Beaverhead, Big Horn (renamed Custer in 1877),

Chouteau Chouteau was the name of a highly-successful ethnically-French furtrading family based in Saint Louis, Missouri, which they helped found. Their ancestors Chouteau and Laclède initially settled in New Orleans. They then moved up the Mississippi ...

, Deer Lodge, Gallatin,

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer) * Jefferson (singer) or Geoff Turton (born 1944), British s ...

, Edgerton (renamed Lewis and Clark in 1867),

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States * Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer Places in the United States Populated places * Madi ...

, and

Missoula Missoula ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, Missoula County, Montana, United States. It is located along the Clark Fork River near its confluence with the Bitterroot River, Bitterroot and Blackfoot River (Montana), ...

. Montana became a state on November 8, 1889. Montana has a history of voters splitting their tickets and filling elected offices with individuals from both parties. Through the mid-20th century, the state had a tradition of "sending the liberals to Washington and the conservatives to Helena". Between 1988 and 2006, the pattern flipped, with voters more likely to elect conservatives to federal offices. There have also been long-term shifts in party control. From 1968 through 1988, the state was dominated by the Democratic Party, with Democratic governors for a 20-year period, and a Democratic majority of both the national congressional delegation and during many sessions of the state legislature. This pattern shifted, beginning with the 1988 election when Montana elected a Republican governor for the first time since 1964 and sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate for the first time since 1948. This shift continued with the

reapportionment Apportionment is the process by which seats in a legislative body are distributed among administrative divisions, such as states or parties, entitled to representation. This page presents the general principles and issues related to apportionment ...

of the state's legislative districts that took effect in 1994, when the Republican Party took control of both chambers of the state legislature, consolidating a Republican party dominance that lasted until the 2004 reapportionment produced more swing districts and a brief period of Democratic legislative majorities in the mid-2000s. Montana has voted for the Republican nominee in all but two presidential elections since 1952. The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992, when

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

won a plurality victory. However, since 1889 the state has voted for Democratic governors 60 percent of the time, and Republican governors 40 percent of the time. In the 2008 presidential election, Montana was considered a

swing state In United States politics, a swing state (also known as battleground state, toss-up state, or purple state) is any state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican candidate in a statewide election, most often refe ...

and was ultimately won by Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

by a narrow margin of two percent. In a 2020 study, Montana was ranked as the 21st easiest state for citizens to vote in.

1890s

Included representatives from additional territorial counties: Meagher (1866), Dawson (1869), Silver Bow (1881),

Yellowstone Yellowstone National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, with small portions extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U ...

(1883), Fergus (1885),

Park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

(1887), and

Cascade Cascade, or Cascading may refer to: Science and technology Science * Air shower (physics), a cascade (particle shower) of subatomic particles and ionized nuclei ** Particle shower, a cascade of secondary particles produced as the result of a high ...

(1887)

1892 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1892

1896 elections

First election to include Flathead,

Valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains and typically containing a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...

, Teton, Ravalli,

Granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

Carbon Carbon () is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalence, tetravalent—meaning that its atoms are able to form up to four covalent bonds due to its valence shell exhibiting 4 ...

, and Sweet Grass counties. * United States presidential election in Montana, 1896

1900s

1900 elections

First election to include

Broadwater County Broadwater County is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,774. Its county seat is Townsend. The county was named for Charles Arthur Broadwater, a noted Montana railroad, real estate, and banking m ...

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1900

1904 elections

First election to include Powell and

Rosebud Rosebud may refer to: * Rose bud, the bud of a rose flower Arts * The name of Jerry Garcia's guitar from 1990 until his death in 1995 * In the 1941 film ''Citizen Kane'', the last words of Charles Foster Kane and an overall plot device * "Roseb ...

counties. * United States presidential election in Montana, 1904

1908 elections

First election to include Sanders County * United States presidential election in Montana, 1908

1910s

1912 elections

First election to include

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln (na ...

, Musselshell,

Hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit, and is usually applied to peaks which are above elevation compared to the relative landmass, though not as prominent as Mountain, mountains. Hills ...

and Blaine counties. * United States presidential election in Montana, 1912

1916 elections

First election to include Big Horn, Stillwater, Sheridan, Fallon, Toole, Richland,

Mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2011): Mi ...

, Wibaux, Phillips, and

Prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

counties. * United States presidential election in Montana, 1916

1918 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1918

1920s

1920 elections

First election to include

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

, Golden Valley, and Daniels counties. * United States presidential election in Montana, 1920

1922 elections

United States Senate election in Montana, 1922 The 1922 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 7, 1922. Incumbent United States senator Henry L. Myers, who was first elected to the Senate in 1910, and was re-elected in 1916, declined to seek re-election. Former Uni ...

1924 elections

First election to include Judith Basin and

Lake A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...

counties. * United States presidential election in Montana, 1924 *

United States Senate election in Montana, 1924 The 1924 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 4, 1924. Incumbent United States Senator Thomas J. Walsh, who was first elected to the Senate in 1912 by the state legislature (as was the practice then), and re-elected ...

1928 elections

First election to include

Petroleum County Petroleum County is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 496, making it the least populous county in Montana and the eighth-least populous in the United States. Its county seat is Winnett. The coun ...

. * United States presidential election in Montana, 1928 *

United States Senate election in Montana, 1928 United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

1930s

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1930

1932 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1932

1934 elections

United States Senate election in Montana, 1934 The 1934 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 6, 1934. Incumbent United States Senator Burton K. Wheeler, who was first elected to the Senate in United States Senate election in Montana, 1922, 1922, and was re-elected ...

* United States Senate special election in Montana, 1934

1936 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1936 * United States Senate election in Montana, 1936

1940s

1940 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1940 *

United States Senate election in Montana, 1940 United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

1942 elections

United States Senate election in Montana, 1942 The 1942 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 3, 1942. Incumbent United States Senator James E. Murray, who was first elected to the Senate in a special election in 1934 and was re-elected in 1936, ran for re-electio ...

1944 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1944

1946 elections

United States Senate election in Montana, 1946 The 1946 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 5, 1946. Incumbent United States Senator Burton K. Wheeler, who was first elected to the Senate in United States Senate election in Montana, 1922, 1922, and was re-elected ...

1948 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1948 * United States Senate election in Montana, 1948

1950s

1952 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1952 *

United States Senate election in Montana, 1952 The 1952 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 4, 1952. Incumbent United States Senator Zales Ecton, who was first elected to the Senate in 1946, ran for re-election. Ecton won the Republican primary uncontested, and ...

1954 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1954

1956 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1956

1958 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1958

1960s

1960 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1960 *

United States Senate election in Montana, 1960 The 1960 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 8, 1960. Incumbent United States Senator James E. Murray, who was first elected to the Senate in a special election in 1934 and was re-elected in 1936, 1942, and 1948, an ...

1964 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1964 * United States Senate election in Montana, 1964

1966 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1966

1968 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1968

1970s

1970 elections

United States Senate election in Montana, 1970 The 1970 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 3, 1970. Incumbent U.S. Senator Mike Mansfield, the sitting Senate majority leader who was first elected to the Senate in 1952 and was re-elected in 1958 and 1964, ran for ...

1972 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1972 * United States Senate election in Montana, 1972

1976 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1976 * United States Senate election in Montana, 1976

1978 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1978

1980s

1980 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1980

1982 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1982

1984 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1984 * United States Senate election in Montana, 1984

1988 elections

United States presidential election in Montana, 1988 The 1988 United States presidential election in Montana took place on November 8, 1988, and was part of the 1988 United States presidential election. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the United States Electoral College, Elect ...

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1988

1990s

1990 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1990

1992 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 1992

1994 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1994

1996 elections

United States presidential election in Montana, 1996 The 1996 United States presidential election in Montana took place on November 5, 1996, as part of the 1996 United States presidential election. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for presiden ...

* United States Senate election in Montana, 1996

2000s

2000 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 2000 * United States Senate election in Montana, 2000

2002 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 2002

2004 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 2004 * Montana gubernatorial election, 2004

2006 elections

* United States Senate election in Montana, 2006 * United States House of Representatives election in Montana, 2006

2008 elections

* United States presidential election in Montana, 2008 * United States Senate election in Montana, 2008 * United States House of Representatives election in Montana, 2008 * Montana Democratic primary, 2008 * Montana Republican caucuses, 2008 *

Montana gubernatorial election, 2008 The 2008 Montana gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2008, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Montana. Incumbent governor Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat who was elected to his first four-year term in ...

2010s

2010 elections

2010 Montana elections Elections were held in Montana on November 2, 2010. Primary elections took place on June 8, 2010. Federal United States House Denny Rehberg, Montana's current at-large Congressman, ran for re-election. He defeated Libertarian Mike Fellow ...

* 2010 United States House of Representatives election in Montana

2012 elections

* 2012 United States presidential election in Montana * 2012 United States Senate election in Montana *

2012 United States House of Representatives election in Montana The 2012 congressional election in Montana was held on November 6, 2012, to determine who would represent the U.S. state, state of Montana in the United States House of Representatives. At the time, Montana had one seat in the House. Incumbent ...

* Montana Republican caucuses, 2012 *

2012 Montana gubernatorial election The 2012 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2012, to elect the governor of Montana. Incumbent Democratic governor Brian Schweitzer was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term. Montana Attorney Gen ...

2014 elections

2014 United States Senate election in Montana The 2014 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate from Montana, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the Unit ...

* 2014 Montana judicial elections

2016 elections

2016 United States presidential election in Montana The 2016 United States presidential election in Montana was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the Washington, D.C., District of Columbia participated. Mon ...

2016 United States House of Representatives election in Montana Sixteen or 16 may refer to: *16 (number) *one of the years 16 BC, AD 16, 1916, 2016 Films * ''Pathinaaru'' or ''Sixteen'', a 2010 Tamil film * ''Sixteen'' (1943 film), a 1943 Argentine film directed by Carlos Hugo Christensen * ''Sixteen'' (20 ...

2016 Montana gubernatorial election The 2016 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2016, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Montana, concurrently with the presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to ...

2018 elections

2018 United States House of Representatives election in Montana Eighteen or 18 may refer to: * 18 (number) * One of the years 18 BC, AD 18, 1918, 2018 Film, television and entertainment * ''18'' (film), a 1993 Taiwanese experimental film based on the short story ''God's Dice'' * ''Eighteen'' (film), a 20 ...

2018 United States Senate election in Montana The 2018 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 6, 2018, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Montana, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the Un ...

2020s

2020 elections

* 2020 United States House of Representatives election in Montana *

2020 United States Senate election in Montana The 2020 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the Montana, State of Montana. It was held concurrently with the 2020 United States presidential elec ...

* 2020 Montana gubernatorial election *

2020 United States presidential election in Montana The 2020 United States presidential election in Montana was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, as part of the 2020 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the Washington, D.C., District of Columbia participated. Montan ...

2022 elections

2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Montana The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Montana were held on November 8, 2022, to elect two U.S. Representatives from Montana, one from each of its congressional districts. Prior to this election cycle, Montana had one a ...

2024 elections

2024 Montana elections A general election was held in Montana on November 5, 2024. Both of Montana's seats in the United States House of Representatives, all of the seats in the Montana House of Representatives, and half of the seats in the Montana Senate were up fo ...

* 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Montana *

2024 United States Senate election in Montana The 2024 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to List of United States senators from Montana, represent the state of Montana. Incumbent Democratic Party (United S ...

* 2024 Montana gubernatorial election * 2024 United States presidential election in Montana

References

Works cited

External links

Counties History
* * * * (State affiliate of the U.S.

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...

) * {{Montana Government of Montana Political events in Montana Montana politics-related lists

1890s

1892 elections

1896 elections

1900s

1900 elections

1904 elections

1908 elections

1910s

1912 elections

1916 elections

1918 elections

1920s

1920 elections

1922 elections

1924 elections

1928 elections

1930s

1932 elections

1934 elections

1936 elections

1940s

1940 elections

1942 elections

1944 elections

1946 elections

1948 elections

1950s

1952 elections

1954 elections

1956 elections

1958 elections

1960s

1960 elections

1964 elections

1966 elections

1968 elections

1970s

1970 elections

1972 elections

1976 elections

1978 elections

1980s

1980 elections

1982 elections

1984 elections

1988 elections

1990s

1990 elections

1992 elections

1994 elections

1996 elections

2000s

2000 elections

2002 elections

2004 elections

2006 elections

2008 elections

2010s

2010 elections

2012 elections

2014 elections

2016 elections

2018 elections

2020s

2020 elections

2022 elections

2024 elections

See also

References

Works cited

External links