---
title: How Montana elections are structured
description: The offices, districts, and cycle shape behind every record in this corpus.
type: guide
source: Montana COPP CERS
---

# How Montana elections are structured

Background for reading the record. This describes the shape of Montana
elections, not the contents of any one filing.

## The cycle

Montana holds state and county elections in **even-numbered years**. It holds
many municipal and school elections in **odd-numbered years**. Both kinds appear
in this corpus, and an odd year is a real cycle with real candidates, not a gap.

A campaign's money moves across the year boundary. A candidate in a 2026 race
raises and spends money through 2025 and 2026. Each document in this corpus
states the reporting window it covers.

## The legislature

- **House of Representatives** — 100 seats, numbered House District No. 01
  through No. 100. Every seat is elected every two years.
- **Senate** — 50 seats, numbered Senate District No. 01 through No. 50. Terms
  are four years and the seats are staggered, so about half are elected in any
  cycle. A district with no candidate in a given cycle is usually not up for
  election.

A legislative district is drawn by population. It does not follow county lines,
and a county can hold several districts or share one with its neighbors.

## Statewide offices

Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State
Auditor, and Superintendent of Public Instruction. Also the Public Service
Commission, which is elected by district.

## The courts

Montana elects judges at three different scopes at the same time. Getting these
confused mislocates a race.

- **Supreme Court Justice** — elected **statewide**, by seat number. A seat
  number is not a district. A justice's home county says nothing about where the
  race is run, because every Montana voter votes in it.
- **District Court Judge** — elected by **judicial district**, numbered 1
  through 22. A judicial district is not a legislative district.
- **Justice of the Peace** — a **county** office.

## County and local offices

County Commissioner, Sheriff, County Attorney, Clerk and Recorder, Treasurer,
Assessor, Coroner, Superintendent of Schools, and School Trustee, among others.
Some counties combine two offices into one elected position.

Local offices are the **largest group of candidates** in a typical Montana
cycle. A cycle is not mostly legislative.

## What a campaign has to do

A Montana campaign registers, appoints a treasurer, names a bank, and then files
periodic finance reports through the cycle. Reports are due on a schedule set in
law, with extra reports close to an election.

Registration and finance are separate filings. A campaign can be registered and
still owe a finance report.

## Contribution limits

Montana caps what one donor may give to a candidate. The cap depends on the
office, and the primary and the general election are separate contests with
separate caps.

A candidate's own money is **not capped**. Political committees have no
equivalent exemption.

## Ballot issues

Committees also form to support or oppose ballot measures rather than
candidates. They file as committees and appear in this corpus alongside
candidate committees.