2024 Montana Attorney General election
November 5, 2024
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Knudsen: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Alke: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Montana |
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The 2024 Montana Attorney General election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the attorney general of the state of Montana. It coincided with the concurrent presidential election, as well as various state and local elections, including for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and governor of Montana. Incumbent attorney general Austin Knudsen was re-elected to a second term, defeating Democratic challenger Ben Alke.[1] Primary elections took place on June 4, 2024.[2]
Republican primary
During a fundraiser on May 11, 2024, Knudsen said that he asked Logan Olson to contest the primary as a dummy candidate, for the purpose of allowing Knudsen's campaign to raise more money in accordance with state campaign finance laws. Olson denied these claims. The director of the Montana Democratic Party lodged an ethics complaint following this disclosure.[3]
Candidates
Nominee
- Austin Knudsen, incumbent attorney general[4]
Eliminated in primary
- Logan Olson, Daniels County Attorney[5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Austin Knudsen (incumbent) | 148,458 | 82.20% | |
| Republican | Logan Olson | 32,141 | 17.80% | |
| Total votes | 180,599 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Ben Alke, attorney[7]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Alke | 93,295 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 93,295 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[8] | Safe R | July 25, 2024 |
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Austin Knudsen (R) |
Ben Alke (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Opinion Strategies (R)[9][A] | September 29 - October 1, 2024 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.34% | 53% | 35% | 2%[b] | 11% |
| Public Opinion Strategies (R)[10][A] | June 11–13, 2024 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 55% | 33% | – | 12% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Austin Knudsen (incumbent) | 352,682 | 59.71% | +1.20 | |
| Democratic | Ben Alke | 237,928 | 40.29% | –1.20 | |
| Total votes | 590,610 | 100.00% | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
By county
| County[11] | Austin Knudsen Republican |
Ben Alke Democratic |
Margin | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| Beaverhead | 4,172 | 73.62% | 1,495 | 26.38% | 2,677 | 47.24% | 5,667 |
| Big Horn | 2,136 | 48.42% | 2,275 | 51.58% | -139 | -3.15% | 4,411 |
| Blaine | 1,523 | 50.68% | 1,482 | 49.32% | 41 | 1.36% | 3,005 |
| Broadwater | 3,716 | 78.68% | 1,007 | 21.32% | 2,709 | 57.36% | 4,723 |
| Carbon | 4,817 | 66.40% | 2,438 | 33.60% | 2,379 | 32.79% | 7,255 |
| Carter | 768 | 92.20% | 65 | 7.80% | 703 | 84.39% | 833 |
| Cascade | 22,896 | 62.11% | 13,968 | 37.89% | 8,928 | 24.22% | 36,864 |
| Chouteau | 1,933 | 67.61% | 926 | 32.39% | 1,007 | 35.22% | 2,859 |
| Custer | 4,219 | 74.19% | 1,468 | 25.81% | 2,751 | 48.37% | 5,687 |
| Daniels | 744 | 80.09% | 185 | 19.91% | 559 | 60.17% | 929 |
| Dawson | 3,573 | 78.53% | 977 | 21.47% | 2,596 | 57.05% | 4,550 |
| Deer Lodge | 2,298 | 48.02% | 2,488 | 51.98% | -190 | -3.97% | 4,786 |
| Fallon | 1,286 | 88.75% | 163 | 11.25% | 1,123 | 77.50% | 1,449 |
| Fergus | 5,007 | 75.71% | 1,606 | 24.29% | 3,401 | 51.43% | 6,613 |
| Flathead | 41,345 | 66.84% | 20,516 | 33.16% | 20,829 | 33.67% | 61,861 |
| Gallatin | 32,820 | 48.42% | 34,964 | 51.58% | -2,144 | -3.16% | 67,784 |
| Garfield | 737 | 94.73% | 41 | 5.27% | 696 | 89.46% | 778 |
| Glacier | 1,871 | 37.23% | 3,154 | 62.77% | -1,283 | -25.53% | 5,025 |
| Golden Valley | 441 | 86.47% | 69 | 13.53% | 372 | 72.94% | 510 |
| Granite | 1,525 | 71.60% | 605 | 28.40% | 920 | 43.19% | 2,130 |
| Hill | 3,923 | 58.98% | 2,728 | 41.02% | 1,195 | 17.97% | 6,651 |
| Jefferson | 5,355 | 65.40% | 2,833 | 34.60% | 2,522 | 30.80% | 8,188 |
| Judith Basin | 1,088 | 81.19% | 252 | 18.81% | 836 | 62.39% | 1,340 |
| Lake | 10,029 | 60.41% | 6,572 | 39.59% | 3,457 | 20.82% | 16,601 |
| Lewis and Clark | 20,561 | 49.63% | 20,871 | 50.37% | -310 | -0.75% | 41,432 |
| Liberty | 761 | 78.53% | 208 | 21.47% | 553 | 57.07% | 969 |
| Lincoln | 8,893 | 77.04% | 2,651 | 22.96% | 6,242 | 54.07% | 11,544 |
| Madison | 4,624 | 73.26% | 1,688 | 26.74% | 2,936 | 46.51% | 6,312 |
| McCone | 930 | 87.57% | 132 | 12.43% | 798 | 75.14% | 1,062 |
| Meagher | 876 | 76.31% | 272 | 23.69% | 604 | 52.61% | 1,148 |
| Mineral | 2,065 | 74.95% | 690 | 25.05% | 1,375 | 49.91% | 2,755 |
| Missoula | 27,939 | 39.25% | 43,251 | 60.75% | -15,312 | -21.51% | 71,190 |
| Musselshell | 2,581 | 86.70% | 396 | 13.30% | 2,185 | 73.40% | 2,977 |
| Park | 6,148 | 53.30% | 5,386 | 46.70% | 762 | 6.61% | 11,534 |
| Petroleum | 282 | 87.04% | 42 | 12.96% | 240 | 74.07% | 324 |
| Phillips | 1,806 | 83.26% | 363 | 16.74% | 1,443 | 66.53% | 2,169 |
| Pondera | 1,973 | 71.05% | 804 | 28.95% | 1,169 | 42.10% | 2,777 |
| Powder River | 938 | 86.45% | 147 | 13.55% | 791 | 72.90% | 1,085 |
| Powell | 2,465 | 76.65% | 751 | 23.35% | 1,714 | 53.30% | 3,216 |
| Prairie | 551 | 82.24% | 119 | 17.76% | 432 | 64.48% | 670 |
| Ravalli | 20,657 | 70.82% | 8,511 | 29.18% | 12,146 | 41.64% | 29,168 |
| Richland | 4,313 | 83.98% | 823 | 16.02% | 3,490 | 67.95% | 5,136 |
| Roosevelt | 1,933 | 50.34% | 1,907 | 49.66% | 26 | 0.68% | 3,840 |
| Rosebud | 2,442 | 67.18% | 1,193 | 32.82% | 1,249 | 34.36% | 3,635 |
| Sanders | 6,181 | 78.21% | 1,722 | 21.79% | 4,459 | 56.42% | 7,903 |
| Sheridan | 1,245 | 67.85% | 590 | 32.15% | 655 | 35.69% | 1,835 |
| Silver Bow | 7,992 | 45.18% | 9,698 | 54.82% | -1,706 | -9.64% | 17,690 |
| Stillwater | 4,709 | 80.62% | 1,132 | 19.38% | 3,577 | 61.24% | 5,841 |
| Sweet Grass | 1,809 | 77.01% | 540 | 22.99% | 1,269 | 54.02% | 2,349 |
| Teton | 2,563 | 73.44% | 927 | 26.56% | 1,636 | 46.88% | 3,490 |
| Toole | 1,592 | 79.36% | 414 | 20.64% | 1,178 | 58.72% | 2,006 |
| Treasure | 365 | 82.77% | 76 | 17.23% | 289 | 65.53% | 441 |
| Valley | 2,957 | 73.89% | 1,045 | 26.11% | 1,912 | 47.78% | 4,002 |
| Wheatland | 854 | 80.26% | 210 | 19.74% | 644 | 60.53% | 1,064 |
| Wibaux | 459 | 85.96% | 75 | 14.04% | 384 | 71.91% | 534 |
| Yellowstone | 50,996 | 63.73% | 29,017 | 36.27% | 21,979 | 27.47% | 80,013 |
| Totals | 352,682 | 59.71% | 237,928 | 40.29% | 114,754 | 19.43% | 590,610 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Lewis and Clark (largest municipality: Helena)
By congressional district
Knudsen won both congressional districts.[12]
| District | Knudsen | Alke | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 56% | 44% | Ryan Zinke |
| 2nd | 64% | 36% | Matt Rosendale (118th Congress) |
| Troy Downing (119th Congress) |
Notes
Partisan clients
- ^ a b Poll sponsored by the Montana Republican Party
References
- ^ "Montana Attorney General Election Results 2024". The New York Times. November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ "2024 State Primary Election Dates". www.ncsl.org. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ Hanson, Amy Beth (May 17, 2024). "Montana's attorney general said he recruited token primary opponent to increase campaign fundraising". Associated Press. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- ^ Kimbel-Sannit, Arren (November 7, 2023). "Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announces 2024 re-election bid". Montana Free Press. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ "FEDERAL PRIMARY 2024 Candidate List". prodcandidatefiling.mt.gov. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ a b "Montana Secretary of State". electionresults.mt.gov. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Kimbel-Sannit, Arren (October 2, 2023). "Bozeman attorney Ben Alke launches campaign for attorney general". Montana Free Press. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ Jacobson, Louis (July 25, 2024). "2024's Races for Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Lieutenant Governor: An Update". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ Public Opinion Strategies (R)
- ^ Public Opinion Strategies (R)
- ^ a b Jacobsen, Christi (November 5, 2024). "2024 STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION CANVASS". Secretary of State of Montana. Archived from the original on September 24, 2025. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
- ^ https://electionresults.mt.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=STATE&map=CTY
External links
Official campaign websites