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Campaign worker charged with forging ballot qualification signatures 
Clayton Murphy
Cascade County filed charges against a man for allegedly forging hundreds of signatures for the campaigns of two independent candidates.
Vice President JD Vance says goodbye to the crowd at his rally in support of Montana's Republican congressional candidates ahead of the midterm elections in an airport hangar in Belgrade, Mont., on October 26, 2026.
Noah Epps
Montana News
Vice President Vance rallies for Republicans in Montana
Clayton Murphy
Kelly and Todd Kissner pose for a portrait in front of the fuel price sign of Your Turn Mercantile convenience store in Big Fork, Mont., on October 14, 2026.
Noah Epps
Montana News
For some Flathead-area voters, war in Iran is worth the sting of rising costs
Clayton Murphy
2026 election profiles
Montana's 2026 U.S. Senate candidates. Left to right: Alani Bankhead (D), Kurt Alme (R), Kyle Austin (L), Seth Bodnar (I).
Four candidates face-off in chaotic Senate race
The race to be Montana’s next U.S. senator is heating up in the final three weeks until election day. Recent polling shows Republican Kurt Alme has a comfortable lead in the four-way race. Meanwhile, independent Seth Bodnar and Democrat Alani Bankhead have hit the campaign trail hard trying to appeal to the same centrist and left-wing voters.
Candidates for Montana's western district U.S. House seat, Republican Aaron Flint (left) and Democrat Sam Forstag (right).
Western district House candidates say affordability is their top concern
The race for Montana’s western district House seat is tight. Recent polls show the two major candidates are tied with no clear lead. MTPR’s Clayton Murphy has this profile of the Democrat and Republican competing for the seat.
Montana Supreme Court candidates Dan Wilson (Left) and Amy Eddy (right).
Supreme Court candidates differ on partisanship, constitutional interpretation
Two judges from the same court are competing for a seat on the Montana Supreme Court. The justices spoke to MTPR’s Clayton Murphy about partisanship, restraint and what they would bring to the bench.
A gavel and scale of justice.
CI-132: Montana voters will issue a verdict on partisan judicial elections
Montana’s judicial elections are nonpartisan. An initiative to permanently keep it that way will appear on November’s ballot. Republican state legislators have tried unsuccessfully to make judicial elections partisan during recent legislative sessions.
HD2 Candidates (Top L to R) Michael Eisenhauer, Patrick McCracken, Brian Miller (bottom) Troy Downing,
Republican incumbent faces three challengers to represent eastern Montana in the U.S. House
It's been more than thirty years since Montanans elected a non-GOP candidate to the U.S. House of Representatives, and this year a Democrat, an Independent and a Libertarian are betting on a change.
BALLOT LANGUAGE FOR INITIATIVE NO. 194 (I-194) INITIATIVE NO. 194 A LAW PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION I-194, if passed, limits the powers of artificial persons to those powers necessary or convenient as provided by law. These powers must exclude contributing anything of value to candidate elections, supporting or opposing political parties, or supporting or opposing state or local ballot issues. Artificial persons include non-profits, trusts, partnerships, corporations, trade associations, or unincorporated associations and includes all such entities doing business in Montana. Any violation of I-194 is punished by forfeiting all privileges to do business in Montana. Those privileges may be, but are not automatically, restored upon disgorgement and certification of compliance with I-194. I-194 does not apply to the distribution of news, commentary, or editorial content. I-194 also does not apply to the state of Montana, political subdivisions, individuals, political committees, or public corporations.
'Montana Plan' ballot initiative aims to end dark money spending in Montana 
Elections have consistently broken spending records in the state in recent years, largely due to corporate money. A ballot measure known as the Montana Plan aims to eliminate that kind of spending in Montana, sidestepping a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling. That would make the state a national legal test case.
Montana Public Service Commission logo shows an illustration of the sun rising over mountains next to a dam and reservoir. Power line poles stretch across the image foreground. The words "Public Service Commission" And "State of Montana" appear on the margins of the logo, along with the state motto, "Oro y Plata."
PSC District 1 candidates campaign on energy costs, data centers and transparency
Two candidates are vying for the open District 1 seat on the Public Service Commission. This district is the biggest in the state by land and covers much of eastern Montana, from the Rocky Boy’s Reservation to Glendive and Miles City. MTPR’s Clayton Murphy speaks with Keila Szpaller, deputy editor of the Daily Montanan, about the race and what this election may mean for Montanans.
Montana Public Service Commission logo shows an illustration of the sun rising over mountains next to a dam and reservoir. Power line poles stretch across the image foreground. The words "Public Service Commission" And "State of Montana" appear on the margins of the logo, along with the state motto, "Oro y Plata."
PSC District 5 race highlights competing views on the role of utility regulators 
The Public Service Commission’s District 5 seat is up for election. Voters from the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to Helena and parts of Missoula will get to choose who represents them on the board. MTPR’s Clayton Murphy talks with Deputy Editor of the Daily Montanan Keila Szpaller about who’s running and what the race could mean for voters.
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