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| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 18,871 | 42.44% | 17,690 | 39.79% | 7,900 | 17.77% |
| 1896 | 10,509 | 19.71% | 42,628 | 79.93% | 193 | 0.36% |
| 1900 | 25,409 | 39.79% | 37,311 | 58.43% | 1,136 | 1.78% |
| 1904 | 34,932 | 54.21% | 21,773 | 33.79% | 7,739 | 12.01% |
| 1908 | 32,333 | 46.98% | 29,326 | 42.61% | 7,163 | 10.41% |
| 1912 | 18,512 | 23.19% | 27,941 | 35.00% | 33,373 | 41.81% |
| 1916 | 66,750 | 37.57% | 101,063 | 56.88% | 9,866 | 5.55% |
| 1920 | 109,430 | 61.13% | 57,372 | 32.05% | 12,204 | 6.82% |
| 1924 | 74,138 | 42.50% | 33,805 | 19.38% | 66,480 | 38.11% |
| 1928 | 113,300 | 58.37% | 78,578 | 40.48% | 2,230 | 1.15% |
| 1932 | 78,078 | 36.07% | 127,286 | 58.80% | 11,115 | 5.13% |
| 1936 | 63,598 | 27.59% | 159,690 | 69.28% | 7,224 | 3.13% |
| 1940 | 99,579 | 40.17% | 145,698 | 58.78% | 2,596 | 1.05% |
| 1944 | 93,163 | 44.93% | 112,556 | 54.28% | 1,636 | 0.79% |
| 1948 | 96,770 | 43.15% | 119,071 | 53.09% | 8,437 | 3.76% |
| 1952 | 157,394 | 59.39% | 106,213 | 40.07% | 1,430 | 0.54% |
| 1956 | 154,933 | 57.13% | 116,238 | 42.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 141,841 | 51.10% | 134,891 | 48.60% | 847 | 0.31% |
| 1964 | 113,032 | 40.57% | 164,246 | 58.95% | 1,350 | 0.48% |
| 1968 | 138,835 | 50.60% | 114,117 | 41.59% | 21,452 | 7.82% |
| 1972 | 183,976 | 57.93% | 120,197 | 37.85% | 13,430 | 4.23% |
| 1976 | 173,703 | 52.84% | 149,259 | 45.40% | 5,772 | 1.76% |
| 1980 | 206,814 | 56.82% | 118,032 | 32.43% | 39,106 | 10.74% |
| 1984 | 232,450 | 60.47% | 146,742 | 38.18% | 5,185 | 1.35% |
| 1988 | 190,412 | 52.07% | 168,936 | 46.20% | 6,326 | 1.73% |
| 1992 | 144,207 | 35.12% | 154,507 | 37.63% | 111,897 | 27.25% |
| 1996 | 179,652 | 44.11% | 167,922 | 41.23% | 59,687 | 14.66% |
| 2000 | 240,178 | 58.44% | 137,126 | 33.36% | 33,693 | 8.20% |
| 2004 | 266,063 | 59.07% | 173,710 | 38.56% | 10,672 | 2.37% |
| 2008 | 243,882 | 49.49% | 232,159 | 47.11% | 16,709 | 3.39% |
| 2012 | 267,928 | 55.30% | 201,839 | 41.66% | 14,717 | 3.04% |
| 2016 | 279,240 | 55.65% | 177,709 | 35.41% | 44,873 | 8.94% |
| 2020 | 343,602 | 56.74% | 244,786 | 40.42% | 17,182 | 2.84% |
| 2024 | 352,079 | 58.27% | 231,906 | 38.38% | 20,196 | 3.34% |
| Elections in Montana | ||||||||
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Montana became a territory May 28, 1864 and the first delegation created nine counties:Beaverhead,Big Horn (renamed Custer in 1877),Chouteau,Deer Lodge,Gallatin,Jefferson,Edgerton (renamed Lewis and Clark in 1867),Madison, andMissoula. Montana became a state on November 8, 1889.
Montana has a history of voterssplitting 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 aRepublican 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 thereapportionment 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.[2] The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992, whenBill Clinton 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 the2008 presidential election, Montana was considered aswing state and was ultimately won by RepublicanJohn McCain by a narrow margin of two percent.
In a 2020 study, Montana was ranked as the 21st easiest state for citizens to vote in.[3]
Included representatives from additional territorial counties:Meagher (1866),Dawson (1869),Silver Bow (1881),Yellowstone (1883),Fergus (1885),Park (1887), andCascade (1887)
First election to includeFlathead,Valley,Teton,Ravalli,Granite,Carbon, andSweet Grass counties.
First election to includeBroadwater County
First election to includePowell andRosebud counties.
First election to includeSanders County
First election to includeLincoln,Musselshell,Hill andBlaine counties.
First election to includeBig Horn,Stillwater,Sheridan,Fallon,Toole,Richland,Mineral,Wibaux,Phillips, andPrairie counties.
First election to includeLiberty,Golden Valley, andDaniels counties.
First election to includeJudith Basin andLake counties.
First election to includePetroleum County.
State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020
