AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Montana on Election Day

Oct 30, 2026, 11:32 AM

In this image made with a smartphone, Montana Democratic U.S. House candidate Sam Forstag is seen speaking to students at an event at Montana State University, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Bozeman, Mont. (Robby Brown via AP)
Credit: Robby Brown via AP

(Robby Brown via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Montana voters will elect leaders for federal, state and other offices on Tuesday. Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied.

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. local time, which is 10 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, statewide ballot measures, state Supreme Court, state Senate, state House and Public Service Commission.

How many people voted in the last presidential election?

About 603,000 votes were cast in Montana in the 2024 presidential election.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 81% of Montana’s votes in the 2024 presidential race were cast early or by absentee ballot.

The latest advance vote totals for Montana can be found in the AP’s advance vote tracker.

When are early and absentee votes released?

Montana counties vary in how they release votes. About a third are expected to release all or almost all results at the start of the night, regardless of vote type. Almost every county is expected to release at least some mail or early in-person results in the first vote report. About a third do not release any in-person Election Day results at the start of the night, while another third releases them throughout the night.

How long does vote counting usually take?

The first results of the 2024 election were reported starting at 10 p.m. ET on Nov. 5, as polls closed. The state reached 50% of votes reporting at 3:43 a.m. ET the next morning, and 90% of votes reporting at 11:16 a.m. ET.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The Associated Press does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

Montana requires an automatic recount only in the event of a tie vote. A candidate may request a recount if the margin is less than 0.5% of the total vote, but public funds will only pay for it if the margin is 0.25% or less. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.