The 1974 Montana House of Representatives election took place on November 5, 1974, with the primary election held on June 4, 1974. Montana voters elected all 100 members of the Montana House of Representatives. Following the landmark Reynolds v. Sims (1964) US Supreme Court decision, every state had to redraw state electoral districts to be approximately equal in population. Before Reynolds, the Montana House consisted of 100 members from a mix of single- and multi-member districts. After the ruling, the Montana House had to shift to equally populated electoral districts. In 1972, the voters of Montana ratified the current Constitution of Montana, establishing the structure of the state house that is still used today: 100 representatives each elected from a single-member district.Elison, Larry M. and Snyder, Fritz. The Montana State Constitution: A Reference Guide. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001. Since 1974, all Montana state representatives are elected in single-member districts in even-numbered years for two-year terms.
The election coincided with United States national elections and Montana state elections, including U.S. House and Montana Senate.
Following the previous election in 1972, Democrats held a 54-to-46-seat majority over Republicans. Democrats increased their majority in the legislature to 67 seats, while Republicans held 33—giving Democrats a net gain of 13 seats. The newly elected members served in the 44th Montana State Legislature, during which Democrat Pat McKittrick was elected Speaker of the Montana House.
Retiring incumbents Democrats District 3: Robert C. Prevost District 4: Orphey "Bud" Lien District 5: Robert S. Cotton District 8: Richard A. Colberg District 8: Ann K. "Pat" Regan District 8: Thomas E. Towe District 13: Larry Fasbender District 13: Michael T. "Mike" Greely District 13: John C. Hall District 13: Gorham E. Swanberg District 16: William "Bill" Zimmer District 18: Max S. Baucus District 18: Bill Norman District 18: Robert D. Watt District 19: John "Sandy" Mehrens District 20: John E. "Jack" Healy District 20: Robert E. "Bob" Lee District 21: James W. Flynn District 23: Joe R. Roberts
Republicans District 2: James P. Lucas District 2: Walter J. Ulmer District 3: S.A. Olson District 6: Vic East District 8: Henry S. "Hank" Cox District 9: Jack E. Galt District 11: Wallace O. Forsgren District 11: Tom Rolfe District 13: Jack E. Kessner District 13: John F. Tierney District 14: Allen C. Kolstad District 16: Robert J. "Bob" Brown District 18: A.L. "Bud" Ainsworth District 18: George Turman
Incumbents defeated in primary election Democrats District 11: Robert E. Stephens District 39: William C. Hodges District 88: Jerry V. Lombardi District 90: Albert E. "Al" Kosena
Republicans District 27: John F. Bell District 30: Hal Harper District 73: Bill Warfield District 82: Tom Clemow
Incumbents defeated in general election Democrats District 2: Wallace B. Edland District 9: Walter Laas District 31: Barbara K. Bennetts District 53: Henry J. Schepens
Republicans District 17: Tom L. Jones District 18: Conrad F. Lundgren District 19: Clyde A. Turner District 29: Ruth B. Castles District 32: William C. "Bill" Campbell District 36: Tom Selstad District 40: Malcolm E. Holtz District 47: J. O. "Boots" Asbjornson District 58: John E. Walborn District 67: Robert E. Glennen District 71: James H. "Jim" Burnett District 92: C. Thornton Mann District 98: Gary R. Marbut District 100: Tom Haines
Summary of results Italics denote an open seat held by the incumbent party; bold text denotes a gain for a party.
State house district Incumbent Party Elected representative Outcome 1 Rep Dem gain Rep 2 Rep Rep gain Rep 3 Rep Rep gain Rep Dem Dem 4 Dem Dem hold Dem Rep Dem 5 Dem Rep gain Dem 6 Rep Dem gain Rep 7 Rep Rep gain Dem 8 Dem Dem hold Rep Rep Dem Rep Rep Dem Dem Rep Rep Dem Dem 9 Rep Rep gain Rep 10 Rep Dem gain Rep 11 Dem Dem hold Rep Rep Rep Rep Dem 12 Rep Rep gain Dem Rep Rep Rep Rep 13 Dem Dem hold Dem Dem Dem Dem Rep Rep Dem Rep Dem Dem Rep 14 Rep Dem hold Rep Dem Dem 15 Dem Dem hold Dem Dem Dem 16 Rep Dem hold Dem Rep Rep Rep Dem 17 Dem Dem hold Rep 18 Rep Dem hold Dem Rep Dem Rep Dem Rep Dem 19 Dem Dem hold Dem Dem Dem 20 Dem Dem hold Dem Dem Dem Dem Dem 21 Rep Dem hold Dem 22 Dem Dem hold Rep 23 Dem Dem hold Dem Dem Dem 24 New district Dem gain 25 New district Dem hold 26 New district Rep hold 27 New district Rep gain 28 New district Dem hold 29 New district Dem gain 30 New district Rep gain 31 New district Rep gain 32 New district Dem gain 33 New district Dem hold 34 New district Dem gain 35 New district Dem hold 36 New district Dem gain 37 New district Dem gain 38 New district Dem gain 39 New district Dem gain 40 New district Dem gain 41 New district Rep gain 42 New district Dem hold 43 New district Dem gain 44 New district Rep gain 45 New district Rep hold 46 New district Dem gain 47 New district Dem hold 48 New district Rep hold 49 New district Dem gain 50 New district Dem gain 51 New district Dem gain 52 New district Rep hold 53 New district Rep gain 54 New district Dem gain 55 New district Rep gain 56 New district Rep gain 57 New district Rep hold 58 New district Dem gain 59 New district Dem gain 60 New district Rep hold 61 New district Dem gain 62 New district Dem hold 63 New district Rep hold 64 New district Rep hold 65 New district Rep hold 66 New district Rep gain 67 New district Dem hold 68 New district Dem hold 69 New district Dem gain 70 New district Dem gain 71 New district Dem gain 72 New district Dem hold 73 New district Rep gain 74 New district Dem hold 75 New district Rep hold 76 New district Dem gain 77 New district Dem hold 78 New district Dem gain 79 New district Rep gain 80 New district Rep hold 81 New district Rep gain 82 New district Rep gain 83 New district Dem gain 84 New district Dem hold 85 New district Dem gain 86 New district Dem gain 87 New district Dem hold 88 New district Dem hold 89 New district Dem gain 90 New district Dem hold 91 New district Dem hold 92 New district Dem gain 93 New district Rep gain 94 New district Dem hold 95 New district Dem gain 96 New district Dem gain 97 New district Dem gain 98 New district Rep gain 99 New district Rep gain 100 New district Dem gain
Detailed results by district District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 • District 41 • District 42 • District 43 • District 44 • District 45 • District 46 • District 47 • District 48 • District 49 • District 50 • District 51 • District 52 • District 53 • District 54 • District 55 • District 56 • District 57 • District 58 • District 59 • District 60 • District 61 • District 62 • District 63 • District 64 • District 65 • District 66 • District 67 • District 68 • District 69 • District 70 • District 71 • District 72 • District 73 • District 74 • District 75 • District 76 • District 77 • District 78 • District 79 • District 80 • District 81 • District 82 • District 83 • District 84 • District 85 • District 86 • District 87 • District 88 • District 89 • District 90 • District 91 • District 92 • District 93 • District 94 • District 95 • District 96 • District 97 • District 98 • District 99 • District 100__NOTOC__
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
District 53
District 54
District 55
District 56
District 57
District 58
District 59
District 60
District 61
District 62
District 63
District 64
District 65
District 66
District 67
District 68
District 69
District 70
District 71
District 72
District 73
District 74
District 75
District 76
District 77
District 78
District 79
District 80
District 81
District 82
District 83
District 84
District 85
District 86
District 87
District 88
District 89
District 90
District 91
District 92
District 93
District 94
District 95
District 96
District 97
District 98
District 99
District 100
See also 1974 United States House of Representatives elections in Montana 1974 Montana Senate election
References