The 2016 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2016, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Montana, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
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Turnout | 74.44%2.26[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
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Bullock: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Gianforte: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% No votes | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Bullock won re-election to a second term in office with 50.3% of the vote, defeating Republican Greg Gianforte, who later won Montana's Governorship in 2020 when Bullock was term-limited.
In the concurrent presidential election, Hillary Clinton lost Montana by more than 20%, with Bullock thus over-performing her vote share by more than 14% and her margin of defeat by more than 24%. This is the last time Democrats won any statewide election in Montana other than a U.S. Senate race. This is also the last time the winning gubernatorial and presidential candidates in Montana were of different political parties.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Steve Bullock (incumbent) | 109,450 | 91.3% | |
Democratic | Bill McChesney | 10,486 | 8.7% | |
Total votes | 119,936 | 100.0% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Greg Gianforte | 109,882 | 76.4% | |
Republican | Terry Nelson | 33,987 | 23.6% | |
Total votes | 143,869 | 100.0% |
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[20] | Lean D | August 12, 2016 |
Daily Kos[21] | Lean D | November 8, 2016 |
Rothenberg Political Report[22] | Lean D | November 3, 2016 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[23] | Lean D | November 7, 2016 |
Real Clear Politics[24] | Lean D | November 1, 2016 |
Governing[25] | Tossup | October 27, 2016 |
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Steve Bullock (D) |
Greg Gianforte (R) |
Ted Dunlap (L) |
Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SurveyMonkey | November 1–7, 2016 | 449 | ± 4.6% | 44% | 46% | 7% | 3% |
SurveyMonkey | October 31–November 6, 2016 | 410 | ± 4.6% | 45% | 44% | 8% | 3% |
SurveyMonkey | October 28–November 3, 2016 | 403 | ± 4.6% | 46% | 46% | 7% | 1% |
SurveyMonkey | October 27–November 2, 2016 | 376 | ± 4.6% | 48% | 43% | 7% | 2% |
SurveyMonkey | October 26–November 1, 2016 | 385 | ± 4.6% | 51% | 41% | 7% | 1% |
SurveyMonkey | October 25–31, 2016 | 405 | ± 4.6% | 53% | 39% | 7% | 1% |
Mason-Dixon | October 10–12, 2016 | 1,003 | ± 3.2% | 47% | 45% | 2% | 6% |
Montana State University Billings | October 3–10, 2016 | 590 | ± 4.0% | 44% | 32% | 3% | 20% |
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Steve Bullock (D) |
Ryan Zinke (R) |
Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gravis Marketing | February 24–25, 2015 | 1,035 | ± 3% | 44% | 44% | — | 11% |
Gravis Marketing | November 24–25, 2014 | 836 | ± 3% | 41% | 49% | — | 10% |
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Steve Bullock (D) |
Tim Fox (R) |
Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gravis Marketing | February 24–25, 2015 | 1,035 | ± 3% | 46% | 38% | — | 16% |
Gravis Marketing | November 24–25, 2014 | 836 | ± 3% | 41% | 45% | — | 14% |
Public Policy Polling | July 20–22, 2013 | 741 | ± 4% | 46% | 43% | — | 11% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Steve Bullock (incumbent) | 255,933 | 50.25% | +1.35% | |
Republican | Greg Gianforte | 236,115 | 46.35% | -0.99% | |
Libertarian | Ted Dunlap | 17,312 | 3.40% | -0.36% | |
Total votes | 509,360 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
Democratic hold |