Live updates from Montana’s 2026 election

Democratic candidate Sam Forstag declared victory, and his Republican challenger Aaron Flint called to concede the highly competitive Western House District race. As of 1:10 a.m., The Associated Press had not called the race. With 72% of votes counted, Forstag led Flint 52.8% to 44.5%.

“After tonight, when we’re done celebrating, remember that this is not the end,” Forstag told the crowd of hundreds of people inside Missoula’s Florence Building. “This is just the beginning. We’re going to make sure everybody in this country can work one job and afford housing and healthcare and childcare to get retired. So, tomorrow, we start that work.”

More than a dozen of Forstag’s campaign staffers, most of whom are in their 20s and 30s, joined him on stage, hugging and crying.

— Nora Mabie, reporting from Missoula

The Associated Press called Montana U.S. Senate race for Republican Kurt Alme at 12:55 a.m. Wednesday morning, with about 78% of the votes counted.

The former U.S. attorney defeated independent Seth Bodnar, Democrat Alani Bankhead and Libertarian Kyle Austin. When AP called the race, Alme was ahead of Bodnar by about nine percentage points. Bankhead trailed Bodnar by about three times that amount.

— Zeke Lloyd, reporting from Helena

Shortly before midnight, independent Seth Bodnar conceded the U.S. Senate race to Republican Kurt Alme. Bodnar had 39% of the vote to Alme’s 47%. Democrat Alani Bankhead landed at 12%, Libertarian Kyle Austin won 2%.

“We just showed Montana, and the country, that there’s a different path forward for our politics,” Bodnar said in a press release.

— Tom Lutey

Three ballot initiatives in Montana have passed, according to the Associated Press, which called the races just after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, with about 70% of ballots counted.

Constitutional Initiative 132, which amends the Montana Constitution to require that judicial elections remain nonpartisan, passed by about 140,000 votes.

Constitutional Initiative 133, about ballot initiatives and referendums, passed by about 115,000 votes.

Initiative 194, dubbed The Montana Plan, which changes state code to prohibit any incorporated entity in Montana from spending money to influence state elections, passed by about 115,000 votes.

— Nora Mabie, reporting from Missoula, and Zeke Lloyd, reporting from Helena

The Associated Press hasn’t yet called the race for Alme, but he gave a victory speech in Billings at 11:20 p.m.

“Thank you, Montana. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who put their trust in me,” Alme began his speech. “Being elected as your next United States senator is the greatest honor of my life. And how about this crowd? How about hanging in here until 11:20 on election night, on a school day. Thank you.”

Alme went on to thank his family and his election team. He said he’d fight in Washington to make life more affordable, to keep violent criminals off the streets, keep “boys out of girls sports” and reduce fraud and waste.

“I believe the best days of our state and our country are still in front of us. So let’s be bold. Remembering Ronald Reagan, let’s raise a banner of bold colors. No pale pastels. Let’s proclaim again a dream of an America that will be a shining city on the hill.”

— Phoebe Tollefson, reporting from Billings

Hundreds of people cheered when Democratic Western House candidate Sam Forstag took the stage in Missoula.

Pointing to a projector screen with election results, as Gallatin County votes began to come in, Forstag said, “Friends, we are looking very good right now.”

With 71% of votes in, Forstag leads Aaron Flint 54% to 43%. About a dozen of Forstag’s campaign staff, most of whom are in their 20s and 30s, joined him on stage, hugging, cheering and crying. “Sam! Sam! Sam!” the crowd cheered.

— Nora Mabie, reporting from Missoula

Tina Nourmiev, the last voter in Missoula County, cast her ballot just after 10:30 p.m. in the midterm elections Nov. 3, 2026, at the Elections Center in Missoula. She got in line starting at 7:30 p.m. and waited nearly three hours to vote.

— Lauren Miller, reporting from Missoula

The Associated Press has called Montana’s Supreme Court race for Flathead County District Judge Amy Eddy. Eddy defeated fellow District Judge Dan Wilson, receiving 61.3% of the vote to Wilson’s 38.7%, with 75% of votes counted. Her victory marks the fourth time since 2016 that a woman has defeated a male opponent in a contested Montana Supreme Court election.

— Jacob Olness

Senate candidate Kurt Alme shook hands, gave hugs and prepared to give a victory speech at the DoubleTree hotel in Billings.

Emcee Don Sterhan said, “They called it.” It was not immediately clear which entity made the race call Sterhan was referring to. The Associated Press has not yet called the race. https://montanafreepress.org/

— Phoebe Tollefson, reporting from Billings

The count is early, but in Flathead County, Democrat Paula Koch from Columbia Falls is up 57% to 43% over Republican Shaun Pandina in House District 4. Incumbent Lyn Bennett lost to Pandina in the primary.

Republican incumbent Courtenay Sprunger is dead even with Democrat Madison Evans in House District 7.

Also, there are some tight House races in Great Falls, where incumbent Republican Eric Tilleman is tied with Democrat Rebecca Bogden-Richards in House District 23. Incumbent Republican Melissa Nikolakakos is trailing Democrat Steve Keller by 82 votes in House District 20.

— Tom Lutey

As Missoula County votes started to come in around 10:30 p.m., Democrat Sam Forstag pulled ahead of Republican challenger Aaron Flint. With 55% of votes counted, Forstag led Flint 53% to 44%, according to the Montana Secretary of State website. Excitement was high, as music blared from the speakers inside the Florence Building in Missoula at Forstag’s watch party.

— Nora Mabie, reporting from Missoula

Here are a few Montana state Senate races to keep an eye on:

In Great Falls, Democrat Margaret Mitchell, 57%, is leading Republican Jessica Dyrdahl, 43%, in Senate District 10, currently held by Republican Jeremy Trebas. There’s not much separation between Great Falls Republican George Nikolakakos at 51% and Democrat Mindy Leach at 49% in SD 12, currently held by Republican Wendy McKamey, who did not run for reelection.

In SD 29, Democrat Scott Rosenzweig, 57%, is leading over Republican Jason Gunderson, 43%. The district is currently held by Republican John Esp, of Big Timber. And, in Helena, Democratic incumbent Mary Ann Dunwell, 55%, is leading Republican Stephen Lapraim, 45%. More conservative turf was drawn into Dunwell’s district after the 2020 Census.

—Tom Lutey

Speaking to a crowd of over a hundred people at his watch party in Missoula, Senate candidate Seth Bodnar said running as an independent is hard.

“You don’t have party infrastructure to lean on. You take criticism from all sides.”

But  he said that his race shows Montana is ready for an independent.

“All of us should be proud of what you built. A coalition of Republicans, Democrats, independents, nobody thought this type of coalition was possible, but you all showed up. You were loud, You were proud, you had deep pride in this state and this country, and you showed we could chart a different path.”

When the speech was finished, Bodnar shook hands with supporters, but still declined press interviews.

— Ellis Juhlin, reporting from Missoula

Returns from small, rural counties have given Alme a strong 13-point lead in Montana’s Senate race, but Bodnar is performing well in the small number of “blue” counties that are starting to report. Bodnar, the independent, has 48% of the voted in Deer Lodge County, and 51% in Lewis and Clark. Bankhead’s best counties are Blaine and Big Horn, where she has approximately 20% of the vote, and Glacier County, where she has a 31% share so far.

— Tom Lutey

Emcee and local developer Don Sterhan introduced Downing at his watch party in Billings. “He’s a man of tenacity and of heart.”

Freshly elected to his second term in Congress, Downing thanked Jesus Christ, his wife, his elections team, supporters and voters.

“This country had an obvious choice tonight: common sense or crazy.”

He’s thankful Eastern Montana chose common sense, “and I pray” the rest of the country follows suit. 

— Phoebe Tollefson, reporting from Billings

The Flint watch party has begun at Brannigans pub in Kalispell, and it’s hard to get a feel for how how his supporters feel. The Flint team has sequestered the media in a separate room and is only allowing limited access to the party. The reporters here are working to advocate for themselves to secure access to report as the night unfolds, but access to Flint’s party remains mostly off-limits to journalists.

— Aaron Agosto reporting from Kalispell 

The Associated Press called Montana’s Eastern U.S. House District for U.S. Rep. Troy Downing. The Republican incumbent defeated Democrat Brian Miller, independent Michael Eisenhauer and Libertarian Patrick McCracken. This will mark Downing’s second term in Congress.

— Zeke Lloyd, reporting from Helena

Sisters Erin and Whitney Williams took the stage Tuesday night at Democrat Sam Forstag’s watch party where they spoke about their father, Pat Williams, the last Democrat to represent Montana in the U.S. House of Representatives. Pat Williams won his last election in 1994 — the same year Forstag was born.

“We never imagined all those years ago that it would take this long to elect a Democrat to this House seat,” Erin Williams said.

— Nora Mabie, reporting from Missoula

At the Alme/Downing watch party at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Billings, the crowd is milling around, feeling good. Cowboy hats and Miller Lite are the headwear and beer of choice. Yellowstone County Commissioner Mike Waters and former Congressman Denny Rehberg are here. People are checking their phones for results and biding their time.

— Phoebe Tollefson, reporting from Billings