Elections in Montana

Summary

United States presidential election results for Montana[1]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 343,602 56.92% 244,786 40.55% 15,286 2.53%
2016 279,240 55.65% 177,709 35.41% 44,873 8.94%
2012 267,928 55.30% 201,839 41.66% 14,717 3.04%
2008 243,882 49.49% 232,159 47.11% 16,709 3.39%
2004 266,063 59.07% 173,710 38.56% 10,672 2.37%
2000 240,178 58.44% 137,126 33.36% 33,693 8.20%
1996 179,652 44.11% 167,922 41.23% 59,687 14.66%
1992 144,207 35.12% 154,507 37.63% 111,897 27.25%
1988 190,412 52.07% 168,936 46.20% 6,326 1.73%
1984 232,450 60.47% 146,742 38.18% 5,185 1.35%
1980 206,814 56.82% 118,032 32.43% 39,106 10.74%
1976 173,703 52.84% 149,259 45.40% 5,772 1.76%
1972 183,976 57.93% 120,197 37.85% 13,430 4.23%
1968 138,835 50.60% 114,117 41.59% 21,452 7.82%
1964 113,032 40.57% 164,246 58.95% 1,350 0.48%
1960 141,841 51.10% 134,891 48.60% 847 0.31%
1956 154,933 57.13% 116,238 42.87% 0 0.00%
1952 157,394 59.39% 106,213 40.07% 1,430 0.54%
1948 96,770 43.15% 119,071 53.09% 8,437 3.76%
1944 93,163 44.93% 112,556 54.28% 1,636 0.79%
1940 99,579 40.17% 145,698 58.78% 2,596 1.05%
1936 63,598 27.59% 159,690 69.28% 7,224 3.13%
1932 78,078 36.07% 127,286 58.80% 11,115 5.13%
1928 113,300 58.37% 78,578 40.48% 2,230 1.15%
1924 74,138 42.50% 33,805 19.38% 66,480 38.11%
1920 109,430 61.13% 57,372 32.05% 12,204 6.82%
1916 66,750 37.57% 101,063 56.88% 9,866 5.55%
1912 18,512 23.19% 27,941 35.00% 33,373 41.81%
1908 32,333 46.98% 29,326 42.61% 7,163 10.41%
1904 34,932 54.21% 21,773 33.79% 7,739 12.01%
1900 25,409 39.79% 37,311 58.43% 1,136 1.78%
1896 10,509 19.71% 42,628 79.93% 193 0.36%
1892 18,871 42.44% 17,690 39.79% 7,900 17.77%

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, and Missoula. Montana became a state on November 8, 1889.

Original 9 Montana counties

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 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, when Bill 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 the 2008 presidential election, Montana was considered a swing state and was ultimately won by Republican John 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]

1890s edit

Included representatives from additional territorial counties: Meagher (1866), Dawson (1869), Silver Bow (1881), Yellowstone (1883), Fergus (1885), Park (1887), and Cascade (1887)

 
Montana county map 1890

1892 elections edit

1896 elections edit

First election to include Flathead, Valley, Teton, Ravalli, Granite, Carbon, and Sweet Grass counties.

1900s edit

 
Montana county map 1900

1900 elections edit

First election to include Broadwater County

1904 elections edit

First election to include Powell and Rosebud counties.

1908 elections edit

First election to include Sanders County

1910s edit

 
Montana county map 1910

1912 elections edit

First election to include Lincoln, Musselshell, Hill and Blaine counties.

1916 elections edit

First election to include Big Horn, Stillwater, Sheridan, Fallon, Toole, Richland, Mineral, Wibaux, Phillips, and Prairie counties.

1918 elections edit

1920s edit

 
Montana county map 1920

1920 elections edit

First election to include Liberty, Golden Valley, and Daniels counties.

1922 elections edit

1924 elections edit

First election to include Judith Basin and Lake counties.

1928 elections edit

First election to include Petroleum County.

1930s edit

 
Montana county map 1930 (current)

1932 elections edit

1934 elections edit

1936 elections edit

1940s edit

1940 elections edit

1942 elections edit

1944 elections edit

1946 elections edit

1948 elections edit

1950s edit

1952 elections edit

1954 elections edit

1956 elections edit

1958 elections edit

1960s edit

1960 elections edit

1964 elections edit

1966 elections edit

1968 elections edit

1970s edit

1970 elections edit

1972 elections edit

1976 elections edit

1978 elections edit

1980s edit

1980 elections edit

1982 elections edit

1984 elections edit

1988 elections edit

1990s edit

1990 elections edit

1992 elections edit

1994 elections edit

1996 elections edit

2000s edit

2000 elections edit

2002 elections edit

2004 elections edit

2006 elections edit

2008 elections edit

2010s edit

2010 elections edit

2012 elections edit

2014 elections edit

2016 elections edit

2018 elections edit

2020s edit

2020 elections edit

2022 elections edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Leip, David. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Montana". US Election Atlas. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  2. ^ Montana 2012 Election 2013.
  3. ^ J. Pomante II, Michael; Li, Quan (15 Dec 2020). "Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020". Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy. 19 (4): 503–509. doi:10.1089/elj.2020.0666. S2CID 225139517. Retrieved 14 January 2022.

Works cited edit

  • "Montana 2012 Election". 270towin. 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2013.

External links edit