2016 Montana elections

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2016 Montana elections

← 2014 November 8, 2016 2018 →

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 2024 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 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 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 2020 2024 Senate elections 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 House of Representatives elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
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Billings Mayoral elections 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
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Great Falls Mayoral elections 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
Bozeman Mayoral elections 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
Helena Mayoral elections 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2025
v t e

A general election was held in the state of Montana on November 8, 2016, with primaries being held on June 7, 2016. All six executive offices were up for election, as well as the state's U.S. House seat and the state legislature.^[1]

2016 United States presidential election in Montana^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Donald Trump	279,240	56.17	0.82
	Democratic	Hillary Clinton	177,709	35.75	5.95
	Libertarian	Gary Johnson	28,037	5.64	2.71
	Green	Jill Stein	7,970	1.60
	Write-in	Evan McMullin	2,297	0.46
	American Delta	Rocky De La Fuente	1,570	0.32
	Write-in		324	0.06
Total votes			497,147	100.00
	Republican win

2016 Montana's at-large congressional district election^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Ryan Zinke (incumbent)	285,358	56.19	0.78
	Democratic	Denise Juneau	205,919	40.55	0.14
	Libertarian	Rick Breckenridge	16,554	3.26	0.92
Total votes			507,831	100.00
	Republican hold

2016 Montana gubernatorial election^[3]

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
	Democratic hold

Incumbent Democratic secretary of state Linda McCulloch was term-limited and could not seek a third term. State Auditor Monica J. Lindeen became the Democratic nominee, while senate minority leader Corey Stapleton was the Republican nominee. Stapleton defeated Lindeen in the general election.

Democratic primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Monica J. Lindeen	111,525	100.00
Total votes			111,525	100.00

Republican primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Corey Stapleton	137,252	100.00
Total votes			137,252	100.00

2016 Montana Secretary of State election^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Corey Stapleton	277,473	55.49	10.39
	Democratic	Monica J. Lindeen	204,861	40.97	10.44
	Libertarian	Roger Roots	17,687	3.54	0.05
Total votes			500,021	100.00
	Republican gain from Democratic

2016 Montana Attorney General election

← 2012 November 8, 2016 2020 →

Nominee Tim Fox Larry Jent Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 332,766 247,025 Percentage 67.7% 32.3%

County results Fox:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Jent:      50–60%      60–70%

Attorney General before election Tim Fox Republican Elected Attorney General Tim Fox Republican

Incumbent Republican Attorney General Tim Fox ran for election to a second term. He was easily re-elected over state senator Larry Jent.

Republican primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tim Fox (incumbent)	140,173	100.00
Total votes			140,173	100.00

Democratic primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Larry Jent	102,171	100.00
Total votes			102,171	100.00

2016 Montana Attorney General election^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tim Fox (incumbent)	332,766	67.67	13.99
	Democratic	Larry Jent	158,970	32.33	13.99
Total votes			491,736	100.00
	Republican hold

2016 Montana State Auditor election

← 2012 November 8, 2016 2020 →

Nominee Matt Rosendale Jesse Laslovich Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 262,045 224,925 Percentage 53.8% 46.2%

County results Rosendale:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Laslovich:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

State Auditor before election Monica J. Lindeen Democratic Elected State Auditor Matt Rosendale Republican

Incumbent Democratic State Auditor Monica J. Lindeen was term-limited and could not run for re-election. Lindeen's chief legal counsel Jesse Laslovich was nominated by the Democratic Party to succeed her. State senator Matt Rosendale became the Republican nominee. Rosendale defeated Laslovich in the general election.

Democratic primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jesse Laslovich	103,972	100.00
Total votes			103,972	100.00

Republican primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Matt Rosendale	132,813	100.00
Total votes			132,813	100.00

2016 Montana State Auditor election^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Matt Rosendale	262,045	53.81	7.33
	Democratic	Jesse Laslovich	224,925	46.19	7.33
Total votes			486,970	100.00
	Republican gain from Democratic

2016 Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction election

← 2012 November 8, 2016 2020 →

Nominee Elsie Arntzen Melissa Romano Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 262,045 237,590 Percentage 51.65% 48.35%

County results Arntzen:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Romano:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

State Auditor before election Denise Juneau Democratic Elected State Auditor Matt Rosendale Republican

Incumbent Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau was term-limited and could not run for re-election. Melissa Romano, an elementary school teacher, was the Democratic nominee. State senator Elsie Arntzen became the Republican nominee. Arntzen won the election by a small margin.

Democratic primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Melissa Romano	103,951	100.00
Total votes			103,951	100.00

Republican primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Elsie Arntzen	129,851	100.00
Total votes			129,851	100.00

2016 Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction election^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Elsie Arntzen	253,790	51.65	1.89
	Democratic	Melissa Romano	237,590	48.35	1.89
Total votes			491,380	100.00
	Republican gain from Democratic

Three seats of the Montana Public Service Commission were up for election.

Incumbent Republican commissioner Kirk Bushman ran for re-election to a second term. He lost renomination to Tony O'Donnell, who won the general election unopposed.

Republican primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tony O'Donnell	15,132	51.12
	Republican	Kirk Bushman (incumbent)	14,470	48.88
Total votes			29,602	100.00

2016 Montana Public Service Commission District 2 election^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tony O'Donnell	76,142	100.00	47.33
Total votes			76,142	100.00
	Republican hold

Incumbent Republican commissioner Roger Koopman ran for re-election to a second term. State representative Pat Noonan became the Democratic nominee, while Caron Cooper ran as an independent candidate. Koopman won re-election.

Republican primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Roger Koopman	27,427	100.00
Total votes			27,427	100.00

Democratic primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Pat Noonan	25,830	100.00
Total votes			25,830	100.00

2016 Montana Public Service Commission District 3 election^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Roger Koopman (incumbent)	54,981	49.22	1.66
	Democratic	Pat Noonan	41,458	37.11	12.01
	Independent	Caron Cooper	15,269	13.67
Total votes			96,439	100.00
	Republican hold

Incumbent Republican commissioner Bob Lake ran for re-election to a second term. Democratic former commissioner Gail Gutsche won a three-way primary to run in a rematch against Lake.

Republican primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bob Lake	23,512	100.00
Total votes			23,512	100.00

Democratic primary^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Gail Gutsche	14,804	58.20
	Democratic	Mark Sweeney	7,926	31.16
	Democratic	Lee Tavenner	2,707	10.64
Total votes			25,437	100.00

2016 Montana Public Service Commission District 4 election^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Bob Lake	54,705	54.41	3.01
	Democratic	Gail Gutsche	45,842	45.59	3.01
Total votes			100,547	100.00
	Republican hold

Half of the seats in the Montana Senate and all of the Montana House of Representatives were up for election. The Republican Party expanded their control of the senate while there were no changes in the house regarding seats.