Montana voters go to the polls on primary election day

KXLF-TV ^ | June 7, 2016 | Mike Dennison

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HELENA - Montana voters headed to the polls Tuesday to decide presidential and gubernatorial primaries – although local legislative races are the ones with the most political impact in the state.

More than two-dozen Republican legislative primaries in all corners in the state feature contests between candidates from the party’s moderate and conservative wings, as each faction looks to control the 2017 Legislature.

As of Tuesday morning, nearly 180,000 Montanans had already voted, via absentee ballots.

Political observers say the absentee count indicates a relatively high voter turnout for a primary election, probably in the 40 percent to 50 percent range.

Voters choosing a Democratic ballot will decide whether Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders wins Montana – although the outcome appears not to matter in the race for the Democratic nomination.

The Associated Press reported Monday that Clinton has clinched enough delegates already to win the nomination.

Montana has 27 delegates at stake Tuesday. California and New Jersey also are holding presidential primaries on Tuesday.

Donald Trump has clinched the GOP presidential nomination and is expected to win Montana’s primary and all 27 of its delegates to the Republican National Convention.

However, four other candidates are still on the GOP presidential ballot Tuesday – all of whom have dropped out: Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Marco Rubio.

Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock and Republican challenger Greg Gianforte are expected to easily win their respective primaries Tuesday, setting up their contest in the fall. Libertarian Ron VanDevender will also be on the fall ballot for governor.

Voters will narrow the field for an open Supreme Court seat from three to two candidates. Great Falls District Judge Dirk Sandefur and attorney Kristen Juras, both of Great Falls, are expected to advance easily.

A third candidate, attorney Eric Mills, has neither campaigned nor spoken with the media.

Voters in southeast Montana, including Billings, will decide their commissioner on the Public Service Commission Tuesday. The PSC regulates gas, electric, telephone and water utilities.

Commissioner Kirk Bushman, R-Billings, is being challenged by Tony O’Donnell of Billings in the Republican primary. No Democrat is in the race.

Voters in western Montana will decide a three-way Democratic primary for their PSC seat, among Mark Sweeney of Philipsburg and Lee Tavenner and Gail Gutsche of Missoula. The winner takes on Commissioner Bob Lake, R-Hamilton, in the fall.

The competitive GOP legislative races span the state, from Hamilton to Kalispell, Great Falls, Sidney, Billings, Bozeman and Helena.

Most of the races are in safe Republican districts, so the winner of Tuesday’s primary election likely will be the person who ends up as the district’s senator or representative this fall.

If moderates hold their own or pick up seats, they’ll likely continue to form a coalition with minority Democrats in the Legislature on many major issues, as they have the past two legislatures.

If conservatives can pick up seats, they may have enough to control a majority of the Legislature within the Republican Party, which is expected to maintain its majority in the state Senate and House this fall.