# 2020 Montana elections

"none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in Montana :
Federal government
Presidential elections
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State government
General elections
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Gubernatorial elections
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Secretary of State elections
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Ballot measures
1894Capital referendum
2004Initiative 96
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2020Initiative 190
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2024Initiative 128 :
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vte :
A general election in the state of Montana was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, with the primary elections being held on June 2, 2020. Voters will elect one member to United States House of Representatives and all five state constitutional offices, among other elected offices.

## Federal elections
### President

2020 United States presidential election in Montana :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Donald Trump Mike Pence | 343,602 | 56.92 | +0.75 |
| | Democratic | Joe Biden Kamala Harris | 244,786 | 40.55 | +4.80 |
| | Libertarian | Jo Jorgensen Spike Cohen | 15,252 | 2.53 | −3.11 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 603,640 | 100% | |
| | Republican win | Republican win | Republican win | Republican win | Republican win |

### Congress
#### Senate

Incumbent Republican Steve Daines won re-election.

#### House of Representatives

Incumbent Republican Greg Gianforte was elected in 2018 with 50.9% of the vote. Gianforte announced he would not seek re-election, instead successfully ran for governor. In the general election, Republican state auditor Matt Rosendale defeated former Democratic state representative Kathleen Williams.

## Secretary of state

Incumbent Republican Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton was elected in 2016 with 55.5% of the vote. Stapleton has announced he would not seek re-election, instead running for the open U.S. House seat in Montana.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Declared

* Bowen Greenwood, clerk for the Montana State Supreme Court
* Christi Jacobsen, chief of staff to Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton
* Brad Johnson, Montana Public Service Commissioner and former Montana Secretary of State (2005–2009)
* Kurt Johnson
* Forrest Mandeville, state representative
* Scott Sales, president of the Montana State Senate

##### Declined

* Corey Stapleton, incumbent Montana Secretary of State

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Christi Jacobsen | 57,749 | 29% |
| | Republican | Scott Sales | 49,596 | 25% |
| | Republican | Brad Johnson | 45,388 | 23% |
| | Republican | Forrest Mandeville | 20,258 | 10% |
| | Republican | Bowen Greenwood | 14,036 | 7% |
| | Republican | Kurt Johnson | 9,321 | 5% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 196,348 | 100% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Declared

* Bryce Bennett, state senator

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bryce Bennett | 130,109 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 130,109 | 100% |

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Christi Jacobsen (R) | Bryce Bennett (D) | Undecided |
| Bryce Bennett | Released August 20–26, 2020 | – | ± 4.4% | 39% | 36% | 22% |

#### Results

Montana Secretary of State election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Christi Jacobsen | 352,939 | 59.56% | 4.07 |
| | Democratic | Bryce Bennett | 239,617 | 40.44% | 0.53 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 592,556 | 100.00% | |

## Attorney general

Incumbent Republican Montana Attorney General Tim Fox was re-elected in 2016 with 67.7% of the vote. Fox is term-limited and cannot run for re-election. Fox decided to run for the Governor of Montana election.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Austin Knudsen, Roosevelt County Attorney, and former speaker of the Montana House of Representatives

##### Eliminated in primary

* Jon Bennion, chief deputy Attorney General

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Austin Knudsen | 116,113 | 60% |
| | Republican | Jon Bennion | 78,161 | 40% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 194,274 | 100.0 |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Raph Graybill, chief legal counsel to Governor Steve Bullock

##### Eliminated in primary

* Kimberly Dudik, state representative

##### Withdrawn

* Jim Cossitt, bankruptcy attorney

##### Declined

* John Morrison, former Montana State Auditor

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Raph Graybill | 79,772 | 57% |
| | Democratic | Kimberly Dudik | 59,963 | 43% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 139,735 | 100.0 |

### Green primary
#### Candidates
##### Disqualified

* Roy Davis

#### Results

Green primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Green | Roy Davis | 748 | 100.0% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 748 | 100.0% |

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Austin Knudsen (R) | Raph Graybill (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Change Research | October 29 – November 2, 2020 | 920 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 50% | 44% | 5% | 2% |
| Raph Graybill | Released September 3, 2020 | – | – | 38% | 38% | 20% | – |

#### Results

Montana Attorney General election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Austin Knudsen | 348,322 | 58.51% | {{{change}}} |
| | Democratic | Raph Graybill | 247,025 | 41.49% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 595,347 | 100.00% | |

## Public Service Commission

Three of five seats on the Montana Public Service Commission - Districts 2, 3 and 4 - were up for election on November 3, 2020, with party primaries scheduled for June 2.

## State auditor

Incumbent Republican Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale was elected in 2016 with 53.8% of the vote. Rosendale announced he would not seek re-election, instead opting to run for the open U.S. House seat in Montana.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Troy Downing, businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018

##### Eliminated in primary

* Nelly Nicol, businesswoman
* Scott Tuxbury, insurance underwriting firm owner

##### Declined

* Matt Rosendale, incumbent Montana State Auditor (running for U.S. House)

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Troy Downing | 97,053 | 50% |
| | Republican | Scott Tuxbury | 58,085 | 30% |
| | Republican | Nelly Nicol | 39,172 | 20% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 194,310 | 100.0 |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Shane Morigeau, state representative

##### Eliminated in primary

* Mike Windsor, attorney

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Shane Morigeau | 78,374 | 61% |
| | Democratic | Mike Windsor | 49,064 | 39% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 127,438 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Results

Montana State Auditor election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Troy Downing | 326,742 | 55.32% | {{{change}}} |
| | Democratic | Shane Morigeau | 232,634 | 39.39% | |
| | Libertarian | Roger Roots | 31,267 | 5.29% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 590,643 | 100.00% | |

## Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Republican Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen was elected in 2016 with 51.6% of the vote.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Declared

* Elsie Arntzen, incumbent Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Elsie Arntzen (incumbent) | 177,595 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 177,595 | 100% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Declared

* Melissa Romano, fourth grade teacher and nominee for Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2016

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Melissa Romano | 132,351 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 132,351 | 100% |

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Elsie Arntzen (R) | Melissa Romano (D) | Other / Undecided |
| Strategies 360/NBCMT | October 15–20, 2020 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 39% | 41% | 21% |

#### Results

Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Elsie Arntzen (incumbent) | 310,111 | 52.19% | {{{change}}} |
| | Democratic | Melissa Romano | 259,886 | 43.74% | |
| | Libertarian | Kevin Leatherbarrow | 24,202 | 4.07% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 594,199 | 100.00% | |

## Supreme Court

The terms of Montana Supreme Court justices for Seats 5 and 6 expire at the end of 2020. A nonpartisan primary for the two seats is scheduled for June 2, and the nonpartisan election on November 3.

## Ballot measures

* Montana LR-130, Limit Local Government Authority to Regulate Firearms Measure
* Montana C-46, Initiated Amendment Distribution Requirements Measure
* Montana C-47, Initiated Statute and Referendum Distribution Requirements Amendment
* Montana CI-118, Allow for a Legal Age for Marijuana Amendment
* Montana I-190, the Montana Marijuana Legalization and Tax Initiative

### Polling

On Initiative 190
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | For Initiative 190 | Against Initiative 190 | Other | Undecided |
| Montana State University Billings | October 19–24, 2020 | 546 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 54% | 38% | – | 7% |
| Montana State University Bozeman | September 14 – October 2, 2020 | 1,607 (LV) | ± 3.9% | 49% | 39% | 2% | 10% |
On whether recreational marijuana should be legal
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Yes | No | Undecided |
| University of Montana | February 12–22, 2020 | 498 (LV) | ± 4.39% | 54% | 37% | 9% |
| University of Montana | February 21 – March 1, 2019 | 293 (RV) | ± 5.7% | 51% | 37% | 12% |
On Legislative Referendum 130
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Yes (for the amendment) | No (against the amendment) | Undecided |
| Montana State University Billings | October 19–24, 2020 | 546 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 52% | 36% | 12% |