Voter file data: L2 Data · Registration counts: Montana Secretary of State · Updated May 4, 2026

Montana Voter Registration

& Party Affiliation Statistics

Total Registered

724,916

Largest Party

Democratic (26.4%)

Independent / NPP

28.26%

Primary Type

State:Open Primary

Pres:Closed Primary

Overview Registration Primary Rules Turnout

At a Glance

Montana at a Glance

Key voter registration statistics · Updated 2026

Registered Voters

724,916

across 56 counties

Registration Rate

83.3%

eligible population

No Party Preference

28.26%

of registered voters

2024 Turnout

68.2%

of eligible voters

Registration

Voter Registration by Party

How many registered Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are in Montana?

26.4%

45.34%

28.26%

Democratic26.4%

Republican45.34%

Independent/Other28.26%

Party	Registered Voters	% of Total
Democratic	191,386	26.4%
Republican	328,678	45.34%
Independent/Other	204,852	28.26%

Primary Rules

How Montana's Primary Works

Montana uses different primary rules for state/congressional and presidential elections

State / Congressional

⚖

Open Primary

Any registered voter can vote in any party's primary, regardless of their own party affiliation or registration status.

How It Works

On election day, voters choose which party's ballot they want. They don't need to be registered with that party. In most open primary states, this choice is made privately at the polling place.

IVP's Position

Better than closed primaries, but still forces voters to pick a party's ballot rather than voting for the best candidate regardless of party.

See all primary systems by state →

Presidential

⚖

Closed Primary

Only voters registered with a political party can vote in that party's primary election. Independent and unaffiliated voters are excluded.

How It Works

Voters must register with a party, often weeks or months before the election, to participate. If you're registered as independent or unaffiliated, you cannot vote in either major party's primary.

IVP's Position

Closed primaries lock millions of independent voters out of the elections that matter most. In many districts, the primary is the only competitive election.

See all primary systems by state →

Turnout

Voter Turnout in Montana

How many eligible Montana residents actually vote?

Eligible vs Registered

83.3% registered

724,916 registered869,899 eligible

144,983 eligible residents are not registered to vote.

Recent Elections

Election	Turnout	Voted
2024 General	68.2%	612,423
2022 General	53.3%	468,326
2020 General	71.3%	612,075
2024 Presidential Primary	25.1%	182,248

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