2024 Election Day live blog

Montana Republicans swept statewide offices in the 2024 election. Read more

Republican Tim Sheehy has prevailed over incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester in the race for his seat in the U.S. Senate.

Sheehy, a political newcomer who’s not held public office before, was leading three-term incumbent Tester by about eight percentage points Wednesday morning when the Associated Press called the race in the Republicans favor.

Tim Sheehy

At an election night watch party in Bozeman, Sheehy addressed supporters, and had a message for those who voted for Tester.

"If you didn't vote for me, I will work to earn your support in future elections, because we have to save this country, and to save it, we've got to come together."

The former U.S. Navy SEAL promised to address the southern border crisis and curb government regulation.

Tester was the last remaining Democrat in Montana to hold statewide office.

The Associated Press called the House District 2 race for Republican Troy Downing.

MTPR looks to the Associated Press to call races. We will only report a race winner if it is called by the AP, which calls races when it's determined data show there is no circumstance that a trailing candidate can catch up.

Typically the Associated Press has a pretty elaborate way of modeling whether there's a, a chance that the other candidate could catch up or overtake them.

These reports, this call, was made with very few, about 2% of the votes in. Actually, if you look at the numbers that were published on different websites, they actually have like the Libertarian candidate with almost 27% of the vote. But that's because the numbers are so very early.

So my guess is, is what we're looking at is they've done extensive exit polling where they. I interview voters as they're leaving a poll, polling place, and they have a pretty good projection of turnout in these different counties. And they have made the call that, you know, based on those two or maybe three factors, but really the exit polling combined with he voter turnout in different counties, they feel comfortable making a call like that.

The Associated Press has called the governor race for incumbent Republican Greg Gianforte.

Greg Gianforte

Some voters in Cascade County have waited upwards of six hours to vote today. The polling place at the fairgrounds in Great Falls had long lines of people trying to register and to vote.

Scott McGowan was one of those people. He finished voting around 4 p.m., and had been in line for six and a half hours. "Mainly to register and some other — the register part took a long time.”

Shaylee Ragar

County Election Administrator Terry Thompson is at the fairgrounds in Great Falls. She said the office is severely understaffed for the amount of people who showed up to the polling place.

“I could foresee that 8 o’clock is going to come and we might not be done with registration until 11 or 12 and we can’t release any results. And it just snowballs. But it’s good because people want to vote. That’s the important thing, people want to vote.”

Fern Corwin had been waiting in line for about four hours this afternoon.

"I mean, I just saw this line and immediately was like, is this worth it? And I just said yes, it is worth it, even though it’s a pain.  I don’t want to compromise my chance to cast my vote, because it is my civic duty.”

Cascade County has been a battleground for candidates in recent elections, and remains competitive.

Ellis Juhlin

It’s Election Day and Montanans’ ballots are long. Voters will choose which candidates for the state’s top offices. That includes the five statewide positions on the Land Board, like governor, secretary of state and attorney general.

Montanans in both the eastern and western congressional districts will decide which two candidates represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Voters across the state will vote on two state Supreme Court seats and three constitutional initiatives.

Two of those initiatives would change how the state runs elections. One would create a top four, open primary system, and the other would require future candidates to win more than 50% of the vote to win. The third initiative would enshrine the right to abortion in the state’s constitution.

At the top of the ticket, just under the presidential race, Montanans will choose who takes a seat in the U.S. Senate. The race is under national scrutiny and could decide control of the upper chamber.

Polls are open until 8 p.m. Voters who are in line by that time will be able to cast a ballot.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and a bipartisan coalition of Attorneys General from 51 other states and territories this week released separate statements urging Americans, and Montanans, to not engage in political violence following Tuesday’s election.

The National Association of Attorneys General issued a letter Monday calling on Americans to engage in civil discourse and respect the integrity of the democratic process. Only Texas, Indiana, and Montana did not sign.

A spokesperson for Knudsen said the Montana Attorney General “obviously condemns” political violence and would support local law enforcement in keeping communities safe. The spokesperson said Montana didn’t sign the national letter because Knudsen removed the state from the National Association. Knudsen announced that decision in 2022, citing a supposed “leftward shift” in the organization.

Voter turnout is high heading into the final hours of election day. Over 80% of absentee ballots have been returned from over 442,000 voters, as of this afternoon.

Judith Basin, Petroleum and Fergus Counties have the highest turnout rates so far, while Roosevelt, Glacier and Big Horn Counties are the lowest.

Shaylee Ragar

Long lines and wait times have been reported at polling locations in multiple areas across the state. In Cascade County, some voters have waited upwards of six hours in line.

Election Administrator Terry Thompson is at the fairgrounds in Great Falls.

"I could foresee that 8 o’clock is going to come and we might not be done with registration until 11 or 12 and we can’t release any results. And it just snowballs. But it’s good because people want to vote. That’s the important thing people want to vote."

Results aren’t released from counties while people in that county are still in line to vote.The deadline has passed to turn in absentee ballots by mail. Voters can drop off their ballots at county election offices or polling locations until 8 p.m. Registration is available until voting ends, and anyone in line to vote by 8 p.m. can stay until their ballot is cast.

[An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the voter turnout.]

We’re about four hours away from polls closing in Montana, and the latest numbers from the Secretary of State’s Office show around 80 percent of absentee ballots have already been returned to voting officials. Many Montanans, about 8 in 10, are registered to vote absentee.

If you have an absentee ballot, you have to return it in person at this point. Do not drop it in the mail. All absentee ballots must be received by the time polls closed at 8 p.m.

Yellowstone Public Radio and MTPR reporters will be at election parties around the state hosted by candidates in key races from Great Falls to Bozeman, Whitefish to Billings.

We’ll be on air live to bring you the latest results along with analysis and perspectives of voters as they leave the polls.

As a snow storm descended on the Bitterroot Valley, voters cast their ballots at school gymnasiums. Many voters in the Bitterroot Valley told MTPR they cast a ballot each Election Day and see it as their civic duty.

Laura Branson lives in Florence and works in real estate. She says she’s voted Republican most of her life.

“But, I don't always love the candidate options in my party anymore,” Branson said. “So, people have to be intelligent and research and vote for what their morals are and what their convictions are, versus a person.” 

Electrical contractor Tim Knight is also from Florence. He says he voted Republican with the economy in mind.

“I just feel like we’ve been let down for the last four years, and I wanted change,” he said.

A few minutes south in Stevensville, stay-at-home-mom Alexandra Miller cast her ballot with her mother and daughter. She says she’s conservative and supports Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy.

“It’s so hard to listen to all the noise about this person saying that, this person saying that — but, I think that having a Republican, it could make the difference between who has the majority,” Miller says.

Kristin Turek voted for incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat. The transportation broker says she urged her husband and niece to vote because she thinks Tester’s reelection is critical.

“I believe that Jon Tester has done a great job. I think he continues to do a good job for Montanans,” Turek said. “I don’t like these out-of-staters coming in and thinking they can take over our political state.”

Voters often said they felt the political atmosphere surrounding this election was tense and divisive. But Florence pipe-fitter and Libertarian Ben Hardman says it’s a sign of the civic process working.

“It’s going to be emotional, but to say that this is the greatest election that’s happened, or something — they say that every year,” Hardman said. “It’s been like that for the whole history of America. There’s always going to be a heated election. If it’s not, that means we’re not debating enough as a people.”

Those voters spoke with reporter Austin Amestoy outside polling places in Florence and Stevensville Tuesday morning.

MTPR’s news team was out talking to Montana voters on Tuesday. Reporter John Hooks spoke with voters in Butte outside the Civic Center.

Jim Taylor drives a delivery truck in Butte. He says this election feels historic, "Because this vote’s going to change our country. If the right people don’t win, our country’s not going to exist in four years, I’m afraid."

Taylor says he considers himself conservative and voted for Donald Trump for President. However, he says he’s not loyal to any one party and has voted for Democrats, including for Senator Jon Tester, in his three previous campaigns. But he didn’t vote for Tester this time. He feels Tester is too tied to the Democratic party.

Emily and James Fronk came to the polls with their fourteen-month-old daughter Ruth. They said abortion rights and the CI-128 ballot measure was their biggest motivator this year. They typically lean Democratic, but appreciate that Montana’s independent streak lets them focus on candidates over parties.

"We don’t see ourselves like totally covered by one party," Emily says.

"Yeah I think Montana’s a pretty independent state and so, especially at the local level, it allows you to look into true issues and vote your candidates away from political lines," John says.

"Which I think we really appreciate as Americans and as Montanans as well," Emily adds.

In Kalispell, hundreds of voters streamed in and out of the Flathead County fairgrounds building to cast their ballots. MTPR’s Aaron Bolton spoke with voters earlier today.

Many didn’t want to say who or which party they voted for, but voters did come to the polls with issues in mind. For Maurine Bessey of Kalispell, it was CL-126. That’s a ballot initiative that would make an open primary where the top four candidates move onto the general election. Bessey voted in favor of the initiative, hoping it would make politics less divisive.

“I think they’re capable of doing things beyond their political party. It seems to be that the political parties dictate how they vote or speak on a particular issue. I think it’s contrary to what they personally believe.”

Joseph Jenkins of Kalispell, who is a staunch Republican, says he was here to vote for Donald Trump, but to also vote against all the ballot initiatives.

“I don’t care what the constitutional amendment is. You do not change your constitution lightly under any circumstance, so it was no on all of those.”

Others had broad issues on their minds, from immigration to the economy. Sherry Swan cast her vote at the Whitefish Senior Center. She declined to say who she voted for, but says inflation was her top concern.

"I’m on social security, and I don’t really have an issue because I live with my kids. But still, a lot of people do."

Michael Kellenberger of Whitefish says he voted for candidates he thinks would provide border security.

“If we, in fact, need more workers in the country, Congress needs to act legally, not just have an open border.”

As of last night, at least 425,000 Montanans had turned in their ballots for the 2024 election. That’s 77% of all voters who received mail-in ballots, according to data from the Secretary of State reported Sunday night. It’s more than half of all registered voters in the state.

Montana surpassed 80% voter turnout in the 2020 election for the first time since 1972. High turnout proved beneficial to Republicans in 2020, who swept every statewide race.

Judith Basin, Stillwater and Powder River counties are leading in turnout. Big Horn, Roosevelt and Glacier counties are seeing the lowest turnout so far.

It’s too late to return absentee ballots by mail. They must be dropped off at a county election office or polling place by 8 p.m. Tuesday, when all voting closes. Voter registration is also available until voting ends. Voters who are in line to cast a ballot by 8 p.m. can stay in line to vote.