Blair Miller

(Daily Montanan) Thursday marked the first day 2024 candidates in Montana could officially file for the November election and provided the first solid look at who is running for which offices and how the legislative landscape might change after last year’s redistricting.

Candidates for president, U.S. Senate, Congress, the statewide elected seats, Supreme and District court judge seats, and the Legislature all have to file with the Secretary of State’s Office between Thursday and March 11 and pay fees in order to run for office in Montana in this year’s General Election.

As of the close of business Thursday, 108 people had filed to run for office, including some lawmakers who will attempt to win state Senate or House seats after switching chambers, and some sitting lawmakers who will have to face others in a primary because of redistricting. Twenty-six of those candidates filed in person Thursday.

State Sen. Becky Beard, R-Elliston, and former Public Service Commissioner Brad Smith, who is running for U.S. Senate on the Republican ticket, were the first to file with Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen’s office Thursday.

“Congratulations to each of the candidates who filed on the opening day, and thank you for volunteering your service to represent your community,” Jacobsen said in a statement. “It’s an honor and a privilege to serve as an elected official, and we’re happy to have assisted these new candidates with this important first step.”

While prospective candidates have two months to file, the list of candidates who had filed for various office Thursday were:

Federal offices

U.S. Senate

Brad Johnson – Republican

2^nd Congressional District

Joel Krautter – Republican

Statewide offices

Attorney General

Ben Alke – Democrat

Clerk of the Supreme Court

Bowen Greenwood – Republican

Public Service Commission

PSC District 2

Kirk Bushman – Republican

PSC District 4

Jennifer Fielder – Republican

Judiciary (nonpartisan)

Supreme Court Justice 3

Dan Wilson

Katherine Bidegaray

Judicial District 1, Dept. 1

Frank Joseph

Judicial District 2, Dept. 1

Michael McKeon

Judicial District 4, Dept. 2

Tara Elliott

Judicial District 4, Dept. 3

John W. Larson

Judicial District 7, Dept. 1

Olivia C. Rieger

Judicial District 8, Dept. 2

Elizabeth Best

John Kutzman

Judicial District 11, Dept. 1

Amy Eddy

Judicial District 11, Dept. 2

Paul Sullivan

Judicial District 11, Dept. 3

Heidi Ulbricht

Judicial District 12, Dept. 1

Kaydee N. Snipes Ruiz

Judicial District 14, Dept. 1

Adam Larsen

Judicial District 18, Dept. 1

Peter Ohman

Judicial District 20, Dept. 1

Molly Owen

Judicial District 22, Dept. 1

Matthew Wald

Legislature

Senate District 2

Doug Adams – Republican

Senate District 13

Josh Kassmier – Republican

Senate District 17

Mike Newton – Republican

Bob Phalen – Republican

Senate District 20

Sue Vinton – Republican

Senate District 21

Patricia Rae Peppers – Democrat

Senate District 24

Mark Nicholson – Democrat

Mike Yakawich – Republican

Senate District 27

Chris Friedel – Republican

Senate District 36

Jessica Wicks – Democrat

Suzzann Nordwick – Republican

Sara Novak – Democrat

Senate District 38

Becky Beard – Republican

Senate District 44

Wayne Rusk – Republican

Senate District 45

Denley Loge – Republican

Senate District 47

Ellie Hill Boldman – Democrat

House District 2

Tom Millett – Republican

House District 3

Debo Powers – Democrat

House District 4

Lyn Bennett – Republican

Lindsey Jordan – Democrat

House District 5

Braxton Mitchell – Republican

House District 8

Lukas Schubert – Republican

Tony Brockman – Republican

Beth Sibert – Democrat

House District 9

Lee Huestis – Republican

House District 10

Devin Marconi – Democrat

House District 12

Shaun Pandina – Republican

House District 14

Paul Fielder – Republican

House District 17

Zach Wirth – Republican

House District 18

David Arends – Democrat

Llew Jones – Republican

House District 19

Jane Weber – Democrat

House District 20

Rina Moore – Democrat

House District 21

Lela Graham – Democrat

House District 22

George Nikolakakos –Republican

House District 24

Steve Fitzpatrick – Republican

House District 27

Paul Tuss – Democrat

House District 28

Eric Albus – Republican

House District 31

Lance Fourstar – Democrat

House District 35

Gary Parry – Republican

House District 38

Greg Oblander – Republican

House District 40

Mike Vinton – Republican

House District 43

Larry Brewster – Republican

House District 47

James Reavis – Democrat

House District 48

Curtis Schomer – Republican

Rudolf Haden – Democrat

House District 54

Lee Deming – Republican

House District 57

Marty Malone – Republican

Scott Rosenzweig – Democrat

House District 59

Ed Stafman – Democrat

House District 61

Becky Edwards – Democrat

House District 63

Peter Strand – Democrat

John Hansen – Democrat

House District 64

Kelly Kortum – Democrat

House District 65

Anja Wookeyhuffman – Democrat

Brian Close – Democrat

House District 66

Eric Matthews – Democrat

House District 67

Carl Anderson – Democrat

House District 68

Caleb Hinkle – Republican

Jennifer Carlson – Republican

House District 69

Ken Walsh – Republican

House District 70

Christopher St. Jean – Republican

Mary Ann Nicholas – Republican

House District 71

Scott DeMarois – Democrat

House District 74

Marc Lee – Democrat

House District 78

James Bergstrom – Republican

House District 79

Jill Sark – Republican

House District 80

Melissa Romano – Democrat

House District 81

Mary Caferro – Democrat

House District 86

David Bedey – Republican

House District 88

Greg Overstreet – Republican

House District 89

Mark Thane – Democrat

House District 90

Curtis Cochran – Republican

House District 91

Charles Headley – Republican

Shelly Fyant – Democrat

House District 92

Ted Morgan – Republican

Connie Keogh – Democrat

House District 94

Marilyn Marler – Democrat

House District 95

Zooey Zephyr – Democrat

House District 97

Melody Cunningham – Democrat

Lisa Verlanic – Democrat

House District 98

Jonathan Karlen – Democrat

House District 99

Tom France – Democrat

House District 100

S.J. Howell – Democrat