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2020 Montana Senate election

2020 Montana Senate election

← 2018 November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03) 2022 →
25 seats in the Montana Senate 26 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	38.07%
Majority party Minority party   Leader Scott Sales (term-limited) Jon Sesso (term-limited) Party Republican Democratic Leader since January 2, 2017 January 5, 2015 Leader's seat 35th-Bozeman 37th-Butte Last election 30 20 Seats won 31 19 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 184,066 97,474 Percentage 64.24% 34.02%
Results:      Republican gain      Democratic gain      Republican hold      Democratic hold      No election
Senate President before election Scott Sales Republican Elected Senate President Mark Blasdel Republican

Elections in Montana
Federal government Presidential elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1890 1895 1895 sp 1899 1901 1901 sp 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1934 sp 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1954 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1945 2nd sp 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1969 2nd sp 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2017 AL sp 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government General elections 2010 2016 2018 2020 2022 Gubernatorial elections 1889 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Secretary of State elections 2020 2024 Attorney General elections 2020 2024 State Auditor elections 2024 Senate elections 2016 2018 2020 2022 House of Representatives elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Ballot measures 1894 Capital referendum 2004 Initiative 96 2012 Referendum 121 2016 Initiative 182 2020 Initiative 190
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An election was held on November 3, 2020 to elect 25 members to Montana's Senate. The election coincided with elections for other offices, including the presidency, U.S Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governorship, and state house. The primary election was held on June 2, 2020^[1][2]

Predictions[edit]

Results summary[edit]

Summary of the November 3, 2020 Montana Senate election results

Party		Votes		Seats
		No.	%	No.	+/−	%
	Republican	184,066	64.24	31	+1	62.00
	Democratic	97,474	34.02	19	-1	38.00
	Libertarian	3,722	1.30	0	0	0.00
	Write-in	1,261	0.44	0	0	0.00
Total		286,523	100.00	50	±0	100.00
Registered voters		752,538	100.00
Turnout		286,523	38.07
Source: Montana Elections Results, Montana Secretary of State

Close races[edit]

Districts where the margin of victory was under 10%:

1. District 38, 0.44%
2. District 39, 1.64%
3. District 25, 3.27%
4. District 26, 5.1% gain
5. District 47, 9.28%

Incumbents defeated in the primary election[edit]

• Tom Richmond (R-District 28), defeated by Brad Molnar (R)

Incumbents defeated in the general election[edit]

• Margaret MacDonald (D-District 26), defeated by Chris Friedel (R)

Summary of results by State Senate district[edit]

Detailed results[edit]

Districts 2–25[edit]

District 2[edit]

Incumbent Republican Dee Brown had represented the 2nd district since 2013. Brown was term-limited and could not seek re-election. State Representative Carl Glimm won the open seat.

District 3[edit]

Incumbent Republican Keith Regier had represented the 3rd district since 2017.

District 6[edit]

Incumbent Republican Albert Olszewski had represented the 6th district since 2017. Olszewski unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Governor. Term-limited state representative and state House Speaker Greg Hertz won the open seat.

District 7[edit]

Incumbent Republican Jennifer Fielder had represented the 7th district since 2013. Fielder was term-limited and ran successfully for a seat on the Montana Public Service Commission.

District 10[edit]

Incumbent Steve Fitzpatrick had represented the 10th district since 2017.

District 15[edit]

Incumbent Republican Ryan Osmundson had represented the 15th district since 2017.

District 16[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Frank Smith had represented the 16th district since 2017. Smith chose not to seek re-election, and instead successfully ran for a seat in the Montana House.

District 17[edit]

Incumbent Republican Mike Lang had represented the 17th district since 2017.

District 18[edit]

Incumbent Republican Steve Hinebauch had represented the 18th district since 2017.

District 21[edit]

Incumbent Republican Jason Small had represented the 21st district since 2017.

District 23[edit]

Incumbent Republican Roger Webb had represented the 23rd district since 2013. Webb was term-limited and could not seek re-election. Former state representative Tom McGillvray won the open seat.

District 25[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Jen Gross had represented the 25th district since 2017.

Districts 26–47[edit]

District 26[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Margaret MacDonald had represented the 26th district since 2017. She ran for re-election to a 2nd term, but was defeated by Republican Chris Friedel.

District 28[edit]

Incumbent Republican Tom Richmond had represented the 28th district since 2017. Former Public Service Commissioner and state representative Brad Molnar defeated Richmond in the Republican primary.

District 31[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Mike Phillips had represented the 31st district since 2013. Phillips was term-limited and could not seek re-election. State Representative Christopher Pope won the open seat.

District 35[edit]

Incumbent Republican Scott Sales had represented the 35th district and its predecessors since 2013. Sales was term-limited and could not seek re-election, he instead ran Secretary of State.

District 36[edit]

Incumbent Republican Jeffrey Welborn had represented the 36th district since 2017.

District 37[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Minority Leader Jon Sesso had represented the 37th district since 2013. Sesso was term-limited and could not seek re-election.

District 38[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Edith McClafferty had represented the 38th district since 2017.

District 39[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Gene Vuckovich had represented the 39th district since 2011. Vuckovich was term-limited and could not seek re-election.

District 40[edit]

Incumbent Republican Terry Gauthier had represented the 40th district since 2017.

District 44[edit]

Incumbent Republican Majority Leader Fred Thomas had represented the 44th district since 2013. Thomas was term-limited and could not seek re-election. Representative Theresa Manzella won the open seat.

District 45[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Dick Barrett had represented the 45th district and its predecessors since 2013. Barrett was term-limited and could not seek re-election.

District 46[edit]

Incumbent Democrat Sue Malek had represented the 46th district since 2013. Malek was term-limited and could not seek re-election.

District 47[edit]

Incumbent Republican Dan Salomon had represented the 47th district since 2017.

References[edit]