Approximately 614,000 Montanans participated in the Nov. 5 general election with a decisive outcome favoring Republican candidates across all statewide offices. Once the victors take office in January, Democrats will lose all statewide seats in Montana for the first time in over a century.
Although Republicans dominated the statewide races, precinct-level election data from the Montana secretary of state reveals a more nuanced political geography.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, seeking a fourth term, was defeated by Republican Tim Sheehy by a margin of 7.1%, with Sheehy claiming victory in 45 out of 56 counties. Interestingly, Tester secured majorities in urban centers like Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, Kalispell, Helena, and Butte. Tester also prevailed in rural areas near Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks and across several precincts overlapping Indian reservations.
In particular, Missoula and Bozeman reported Tester’s highest vote shares, peaking at 90% and 84% respectively, with Helena following at 79%. Tester also captured approximately 60% of the vote in Great Falls and Billings precincts.
Big Horn County’s precinct 7, home to Crow Agency, gave Tester the highest Democratic vote share in any single precinct. Here, Tester secured 98% of the 481 votes cast, losing only 8 votes.
In stark contrast, Custer County’s Ismay Church precinct saw a complete Republican sweep, with every Republican candidate winning all 28 votes cast except for Sheehy, who garnered 26. Another precinct in Custer County, Spring Creek School, similarly favored Republicans but did not achieve a perfect result.
The election data reflects a preliminary yet comprehensive vote count across Montana’s 727 precincts. Updates will follow once election results undergo the official certification process, which involves verifying votes within 14 days post-election, with statewide certification by the board of canvassers required “within 27 days after the election.”
Among the precincts, Flathead County’s precinct 56 is notable for its lack of election results, attributed to its location in the uninhabited Bob Marshall Wilderness area.
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