Hundreds of third-party, independent, and write-in candidates have run for state office in the state of Montana. Only candidates who achieved more than 5% of the vote are included.

General election returns before 1960 and in 1968 are currently unavailable.

Candidate won seat State house Election District Party Candidate Votes % Place Ref 2006 12 Constitution Rick Jore 2,045 Elected1st of 2

Candidate placed ahead of major party nominee State house Election District Party Candidate Votes % Place Ref 2004 12 Constitution Rick Jore 1,559 1st of 3Tied with DemocratBeat Republican 2002 73 Constitution Rick Jore 1,339 2nd of 3Beat Republican 1980 53 Independent G. Kay Carpenter 1,144 2nd of 3Beat Republican 82 Write-in Bill Hand 889 2nd of 3Beat Democrat

Other candidates In multi-winner elections, candidates' vote percentages are multiplied by the number of representative seats available.

State senate Election District Party Candidate Votes % Place Ref 2024 45 Independent Kelley Durbin-Williams 1,001 3rd of 3 2020 36 Libertarian John Lamb 2,706 2nd of 2 45 Libertarian Devin Braaten 581 3rd of 3 2018 1 Libertarian Austen Lee Nelson 1,484 2nd of 2 43 Independent Laura Garber 4,274 2nd of 2 2016 39 Libertarian Dick Motta 623 3rd of 3 2014 33 Libertarian Joan Stanley 451 3rd of 3 2012 7 Libertarian John Marshall 779 3rd of 3 45 Libertarian Rob McCoy 883 3rd of 3 2010 44 Libertarian Dan Cox 1,047 3rd of 3 2008 6 Constitution M. Neal Donohue 2,367 2nd of 2 50 Constitution Kandi Matthew-Jenkins 2,733 2nd of 2 2006 8 Libertarian Kandi Matthew-Jenkins 970 2nd of 3 Independent Long Standing Bear Chief 618 3rd of 3 11 Constitution Johnathan Martin 1,032 2nd of 3 Libertarian Mike Kaszula 480 3rd of 3 2004 6 Constitution Kurtis Oliverson 462 3rd of 3 38 Independent Timothy S. Presley 1,668 2nd of 2 2000 19 Reform Dennis E. Sullivan Jr. 1,330 2nd of 2 1998 23 Natural LawRebecca Scott 1,049 2nd of 2 41 Reform James Rostorfer 1,032 2nd of 2 1996 32 Reform Linda Lightfoot 559 3rd of 3 1992 9 Independent Evert Gustafson 872 3rd of 3 1982 11 Libertarian Mike Tanchek 1.574 2nd of 2 18 Libertarian Duncan Scott 345 3rd of 3 47 Libertarian Gary Palm 629 3rd of 3 1980 27 Independent Gene Delaney 607 3rd of 3 41 Independent Douglas Allen 2,312 2nd of 2 1976 29 Independent Tom Dailey 1,531 2nd of 2 1974 23 American Harry Cameron 362 3rd of 3 1970 27 (1-seat) Independent Larry McCarthy 597 3rd of 3

State house Election District Party Candidate Votes % Place Ref 2024 51 Independent Janna Hafer 2,309 2nd of 2 76 Libertarian Elena Gagliano 1,349 2nd of 2 2022 8 Libertarian Sid Daoud 1,240 2nd of 2 22 Libertarian Tony Rosales 207 3rd of 3 87 Independent Will Lovette Moore 1,505 2nd of 2 2020 7 Libertarian Nicholas Ramlow 260 3rd of 3 13 Libertarian Cade Stiles 493 3rd of 3 20 Libertarian George Anthony Schultz 762 2nd of 2 37 Libertarian Jacob Kitson 603 2nd of 2 43 Libertarian Melody Benes 1,496 2nd of 2 62 Libertarian Francis Wendt 2,079 2nd of 2 64 Libertarian Doug Campbell 450 3rd of 3 67 Libertarian Andrew Schaefer 363 3rd of 3 80 Libertarian Ron Vandevender 1,185 2nd of 2 2018 5 Libertarian Cindy Dyson 1,734 2nd of 2 7 Libertarian Sid Dauod 1,440 2nd of 2 10 Libertarian Bill Jones 1,100 2nd of 2 28 Independent Robert Sivertsen 1,179 2nd of 3 Libertarian Conor Burns 401 3rd of 3 30 Libertarian Kathryn G. H. Nicholes 862 2nd of 2 50 Libertarian Nathan McKenty 190 3rd of 3 61 Libertarian A. Alexander Fetto 1,648 2nd of 2 69 Libertarian Joshua-Luke O'Connor 1,061 2nd of 2 70 Libertarian Chris Richards 1,048 2nd of 2 71 Libertarian Michael White 844 3rd of 3 2016 6 Libertarian Ian Wheeler 313 3rd of 3 10 Independent James H. Swanson 1,516 2nd of 2 43 Libertarian Josh Daniels 334 3rd of 3 57 Libertarian Andrew T. Forcier 748 2nd of 2 80 Libertarian Valerie Clague503 3rd of 3 2014 15 Constitution Joe Read 775 2nd of 2 54 Libertarian Jeffrey A. Hill 207 3rd of 3 74 Independent John Michael Driscoll 1,274 2nd of 2 94 Independent Gary Marbut 1,700 2nd of 2 2012 3 Libertarian Shawn Guymon 235 3rd of 3 14 Independent Jessie Nichols 1,053 3rd of 3 26 Libertarian Tim Martin 984 2nd of 2 70 Independent Christopher Burke 837 3rd of 3 71 Independent Kim Miller 2,481 2nd of 2 84 Libertarian Scott Vandevender 437 3rd of 3 87 Libertarian Karen Fisher 451 3rd of 3 89 Libertarian Andy Elwell 373 3rd of 3 90 Libertarian Toby Martin 1,315 2nd of 2 2010 3 Independent Shawn Guymon 286 3rd of 3 8 Independent Bill Jones 294 3rd of 3 11 Green Cheryl Wolfe 1,052 2nd of 2 22 Constitution Johnathan D. Martin 259 3rd of 3 84 Libertarian Ron Vandevender 726 2nd of 2 87 Libertarian Tobias Z. Martin 769 2nd of 2 88 Constitution Russ Vogel 851 2nd of 2 90 Libertarian Arlin Bird 213 3rd of 3 99 Constitution Kandi Matthew-Jenkins 290 3rd of 3 2008 6 Constitution Timothy Martin 321 3rd of 3 22 Constitution Johnathan Martin 788 2nd of 2 56 Independent George Day 2,000 2nd of 2 2006 1 Constitution Russell Brown 172 3rd of 3 2 Constitution Freeman Johnson 209 3rd of 3 3 Constitution Tad Rosenberry 198 3rd of 3 6 Constitution Rick Komenda 574 3rd of 3 13 Independent Gordon Hall 257 3rd of 3 23 Constitution Christopher Gregory 682 2nd of 2 35 Constitution Torry Fair MacLean 663 2nd of 2 96 Constitution Kandi Matthew-Jenkins 188 3rd of 3 2004 7 Constitution Timothy R. Martin 217 3rd of 3 13 Constitution Kent Holtz 259 3rd of 3 22 Constitution Jonathan Martin 219 3rd of 3 23 Constitution Christopher Gregory 548 2nd of 3 Green Paul Stephens 263 3rd of 3 24 Constitution Philip N. DuPaul 615 2nd of 2 61 Constitution Joel Boniek 409 3rd of 3 69 Independent Mary Newman Hardin 1,690 2nd of 2 74 Independent Dave Stratton 922 3rd of 3 75 Green John McCracken 454 2nd of 2 76 Independent Bob Harper 848 2nd of 2 2002 13 Green Christine C. Frazier 96 3rd of 3 14 Green Scott N. Proctor 182 3rd of 3 30 Libertarian Adam L. Forslund 370 2nd of 2 32 Green Kelly Pollington 827 2nd of 2 41 Constitution Kent Holtz 122 3rd of 3 42 Constitution Terry Poupa 184 3rd of 3 43 Constitution Jonathan D. Martin 204 3rd of 3 66 Libertarian John Jenkins 369 2nd of 2 69 Independent Greg Lind 1,829 2nd of 2 80 Constitution Gary E. Hall 222 3rd of 3 81 Independent Pete Zarnowski 1,268 2nd of 2 2000 25 Independent Clayton Bryington 366 3rd of 3 38 Reform Kathryn R. Sullivan 786 2nd of 2 39 Independent Vanessa Martin 629 3rd of 3 40 Reform Dan Hutchings 258 3rd of 3 41 Constitution Johnathan D. Martin 152 3rd of 3 42 Constitution Terry M. Poupa 756 2nd of 2 46 Constitution Phillip N. DuPaul 129 3rd of 3 61 Libertarian Erik C. Jerde 518 3rd of 3 62 Constitution Lou Hatch 274 3rd of 3 66 Constitution Kandi Matthew-Jenkins 698 2nd of 2 67 Constitution Steve Larsen 740 2nd of 2 68 Constitution Larry D. Foust 182 3rd of 4 73 Constitution Rick Jore 1,818 2nd of 2 75 Libertarian Fred L. Fekete 263 3rd of 3 77 Constitution Timothy Martin 1,105 2nd of 2 81 Reform Jerome F. Johnson 653 2nd of 2 1998 48 Independent Stephen White 306 3rd of 3 67 Libertarian Mike Fellows 558 2nd of 2 84 Natural Law Anne Scott Markle 836 2nd of 2 86 Natural Law Clay Stephens 217 3rd of 3 98 Write-in Bill Whitehead 367 2nd of 2 1996 20 Independent Jim Bennett 209 3rd of 3 31 Natural Law Jane Stevens Pappin 289 3rd of 3 60 Write-in Jeanette McKee 2,063 2nd of 2 67 Libertarian Mike Fellows 703 2nd of 2 72 Independent Bill Meadows 665 3rd of 3 1994 67 Independent Dez Freeman 220 3rd of 3 1992 74 Write-in David Hoffman 897 3rd of 3 1990 96 Libertarian Montayne John D. 161 3rd of 3 1986 6 Libertarian Walter Deets 296 3rd of 3 1984 1 Libertarian Mike Tanchek 410 3rd of 3 36 Libertarian Diane Stokes 556 3rd of 3 57 Libertarian Michael Wanger 302 3rd of 3 1982 15 Libertarian Jeff L. Ross 167 3rd of 3 16 Libertarian Walter Deets 405 3rd of 3 58 Write-in Thomas R. Conroy 1,646 2nd of 2 70 Libertarian David Field 188 3rd of 3 83 Libertarian Gary Scheer 745 2nd of 2 86 Libertarian Michael A. Hall 302 2nd of 2 94 Libertarian Harley R. Harris 355 2nd of 2 96 Libertarian Chris Mullen 194 3rd of 3 98 Libertarian Brad Bardwell 147 3rd of 3 1980 15 Libertarian Jeff L. Ross 326 3rd of 3 22 Libertarian Mike Tanchek 1,174 2nd of 2 39 Libertarian Charles N. Steele 231 3rd of 3 41 Libertarian William D. Jacobsen 249 3rd of 3 1976 26 Independent Dale Bryson 686 3rd of 3 50 Independent Faye Hanson Christofferson 452 3rd of 3 58 Independent Dale Kindness 610 2nd of 2 68 Independent C. C. Custer 361 3rd of 3 71 Independent Don Scanlin 567 3rd of 3 75 Independent Douglas Rand 999 3rd of 3 87 Independent Tom Christie 1,331 2nd of 2 1974 23 Independent Jack J. Nichols 470 3rd of 3 25 Write-in Ralph Morin 686 2nd of 2 58 American Ed Dobson 348 3rd of 3 88 Write-in Calla Shea 121 2nd of 2 1972 14 (4-seat) Independent Frank R. Hewitt 1,523 9th of 9 1970 23 (7-seat) Independent John Finnegan 5,168 9th of 9 1966 13 (2-seat) Independent Carl Tysel 821 5th of 5

Candidates elected without detailed returns Many more third-party candidates have served in the Montana State Legislature, but a lack of readily available election returns means it can not be easily proven that candidates were actually elected on third-party tickets rather than switching parties while in office.

State senate Election District Party Candidate Ref 1958 Rosebud Independent R. C. Harken 1948 Prairie Independent Charles Brown Sweet Grass Independent Leo J. Cremer 1932 Golden Valley Independent Henry Thein 1926 Sheridan Farmer–Labor Charles E. Taylor 1912 Blaine Progressive L. B. Taylor Dawson Progressive J. M. Boardman

State house Election District Party Candidate Ref 1958 Deer Lodge (2-seat) Independent Democrat Owen P. McNally Custer (2-seat) Independent Andy W. Elting 1946 Beaverhead Independent Democrat George M. Melton 1926 Daniels Farmer–Labor James T. Sparling Sheridan (2-seat) Farmer–Labor Robert Larson 1924 Sheridan (2-seat) Farmer–Labor Robert Larson Farmer–Labor A. T. Larsen 1920 Daniels Independent Fred Hansen 1912 Blaine Progressive John Collins Dawson (3-seat) Progressive E. E. Jordan Progressive Walter D. Kemmis Flathead (4-seat) Progressive A. L. Jordan Progressive H. T. Mayfield Hill Progressive F. A. Carnal Lincoln Silver Charles H. Connor Missoula (4-seat) Progressive J. B. Henley Ravalli (2-seat) Progressive George A. Blair Progressive Charles MacRae Rosebud (2-seat) Progressive John Davidson Progressive 6 others

Notes

References