Election Edition 2024

Bobcats, an exciting time is upon us. On Nov. 5, all of us here at the Exponent will head to the polls to cast our votes in time for the 2024 election.

Voting is one of the most important parts of our democracy and a solemn responsibility we should all take seriously. It’s a chance for citizens of the U.S. to have a voice in who represents us and influence decisions about important issues. Whether you’re voting in person or by mail, your ballot must reach the Gallatin County Elections Office or a ballot drop-off location by 8 p.m. sharp on Nov. 5 — and you’ve got quite a few races to catch up on. Here’s a short overview of what’s goin’ down on Capitol Hill (or Peets Hill, for our more local candidates…)

Four contenders for U.S. Senate —  incumbent Jon Tester, Tim Sheehy, Robert Barb and Sid Daoud — are running for election. Simultaneously, for the U.S. House of Representatives, incumbent Ryan Zinke, Dennis Hayes and Monica Tranel are fighting to be elected to Montana’s western congressional district while Troy Downing and John Driscoll are up to bat in the east.

Montanans will also elect a governor, secretary of state, attorney general and superintendent this November, as well as a state Supreme Court chief justice and a new justice for an empty seat. Additionally, Gallatin County has a huge amount of candidates competing for seats in our Montana Legislature. Some want a seat in the Senate and some are fighting for a spot in the House of Representatives — two house districts make one senate district — and you’ll see a couple of these races show up on your ballot this year depending on the district you live in.

And that’s not all. This November, voters will also decide who will have the privilege to serve in various county governmental positions such as clerk for the district court, county commissioner and government study commissioners.

Now, that’s a lot to digest all at once. But don’t worry, the Exponent is here to help. In our 2024 Election Edition, you’ll find many of these candidates speaking to you in the form of questionnaires. Candidates were given three weeks to respond to our questionnaire and were given word counts for each response. Grab a print copy on campus to see these responses and get the lowdown on this year’s candidates and the measures on the ballot. The questionnaires and our stories are published in full on the “2024 Elections” tab on the Exponent website.

Not all of the candidates responded despite multiple emails and phone calls by Exponent staff, and by no means is this an exhaustive account of all of the policy positions and ideas supported by the candidates in a particular race. It’s our hope, however, that this concise guide to candidates’ ideas — in their own words — can serve as a useful resource for you to decide who you want to vote for. Questionnaires were only edited for misspelling and pre-existing punctuation errors to allow candidates to you, the reader, candidly.

Inside this edition, you’ll find tons of information about this year’s election and how to cast your ballot. Don’t forget that last step. To check whether you’re registered to vote and to check the status of your ballot, visit the Montana Secretary of State’s website at https://prodvoterportal.mt.gov/WhereToVote.aspx.

So, Bobcats, get to reading and remember to submit your ballots by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. Your voice matters — let’s make sure it’s heard.

Questionnaires organized by Emma Forster, Gus Yeager, Will Malizia, Alexis Cardenas, Josh Ruiz, Luke Maxwell and Amanda Fulton.