Montana House of Representatives District 61
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| Census Topic | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 11,393 |
| Gender |
50.3% Male 49.7% Female |
| Race |
91.4% White 0.2% Black 0.9% Asian 0.6% Native American 0% Pacific Islander |
| Ethnicity | 3.1% Hispanic |
| Median household income | $88,790 |
| High school graduation rate | 98.3% |
| College graduation rate | 63.4% |
Montana House of Representatives District 61 is represented by Jim Hamilton (D).
As of the 2020 Census, Montana state representatives represented an average of 10,842 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 9,894 residents.
About the office[edit]
Members of the Montana House of Representatives are subject to term limits and may not serve more than four two-year terms. Montana legislators assume office the first Monday of January following the election. If January 1 is a Monday, legislators assume office on the first Wednesday.[1][2]
Qualifications[edit]
To be eligible to serve in the Montana House of Representatives, a candidate must be:[3]
- "[A] resident of the state for at least one year next preceding the general election"
- "[A] resident of the county for six months preceding the general election if it contains one or more districts or of the district if it contains all or parts of more than one county".
Salaries[edit]
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislators | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $100.48/legislative day | $126.12/day; For additional expenses, legislators will receive a primary $3,000 stipend and a secondary amount between $1,000 and $4,000 depending on the size of a legislator's district. |
Term limits[edit]
- See also: State legislatures with term limits
The Montana House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Montana voters approved CI-64 in 1992. CI-64 created Section 8 of Article IV of the Montana Constitution, which says that state representatives cannot serve eight or more years in any 16-year period.[4]
Vacancies[edit]
If there is a vacancy in the Montana State Legislature, the board of county commissioners that represent the vacant seat must select a replacement. The secretary of state must notify the board of county commissioners and the county central committee of the political party that holds the vacant seat no later than seven days after the vacancy happened. The county central committee has 45 days after receiving notice from the secretary of state to provide a list of candidates to the board of county commissioners. The board must select a replacement no later than 15 days after receiving the list of candidates. If the Legislature is in session, the selection must be made no later than five days after receiving a candidate list.[5] Any person selected to fill a House seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term. Any person selected to fill a Senate seat serves until the next scheduled general election.[6]
See sources: Montana Const. Art. 5, Sec 7 and Montana Code Ann. §5-2-402
District map[edit]
The map below shows this district's current boundaries, not those enacted as part of the 2020 redistricting cycle.
Redistricting[edit]
2020-2021[edit]
Montana is drawing state legislative district maps following the 2020 census. New state legislative district maps have not yet been enacted.
How does redistricting in Montana work? Montana uses a non-politician commission for congressional and state legislative redistricting. This commission comprises five members. The majority and minority leaders of each chamber of the state legislature select one member a piece. These four members then select a fifth to serve as the commission's chair. If the first four commissioners are unable to agree on an appointment, the Montana Supreme Court may select the fifth member.[7]
The Montana Constitution requires that no commissioner be a public official. State statutes require that two of the first four commissioners "must be selected from certain counties (roughly, in the Montana Rockies to the west) and two must be selected from the rest of the state (to the east)."[7]
The state's Districting and Apportionment Commission must complete congressional redistricting within 90 days of receiving federal census data. It must prepare a legislative redistricting plan "by the 10th legislative day of the first regular session after the federal census results are available. The Legislature then has 30 days to make recommendations to the commission. Within 30 days of receiving the Legislature's recommendations, the commission must file the redistricting plan with the Secretary of State, and it becomes law. Although the commission may modify the plan to accommodate the Legislature's recommendations, it is not required to do so."[8]
The state constitution requires that districts be both contiguous and compact.[7]
| “ | The ... commission has stated that it may gauge compactness by looking to a district's general appearance, and the degree to which it fosters "functional compactness" through "travel and transportation, communication, and geography." The commission has similarly determined that it will, in drawing legislative districts, consider the boundary lines of political subdivisions (counties, cities, towns, school districts, Indian reservations, neighborhood commissions, and others); follow geographic boundaries; and consider keeping intact communities of interest (based on "Indian reservations, urban[, suburban, or rural] interests, . . . neighborhoods, trade areas, geographic location, communication and transportation networks, media markets, social, cultural and economic interests, or occupations and lifestyles").[9] | ” |
| —All About Redistricting | ||
Elections[edit]
2022[edit]
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
The primary will occur on June 7, 2022. The general election will occur on November 8, 2022. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.
General election for Montana House of Representatives District 61
Steve Kelly is running in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 61 on November 8, 2022.
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Steve Kelly (G) | |
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Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61
Incumbent Jim Hamilton is running in the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate |
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Jim Hamilton | |
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Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61
Peter Bower is running in the Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate |
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Peter Bower | |
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2020[edit]
General election for Montana House of Representatives District 61
Incumbent Jim Hamilton won election in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 61 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Jim Hamilton (D) |
100.0
|
6,200 |
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Total votes: 6,200 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61
Incumbent Jim Hamilton defeated Brian Close in the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Jim Hamilton |
56.5
|
1,670 |
|
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Brian Close |
43.5
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1,286 | |
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Total votes: 2,956 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Daniel Bennett (L)
2018[edit]
General election for Montana House of Representatives District 61
Incumbent Jim Hamilton defeated A. Alexander Fetto in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 61 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
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| ✔ |
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Jim Hamilton (D) |
74.9
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4,906 |
|
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A. Alexander Fetto (L) |
25.1
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1,648 | |
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Total votes: 6,554 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61
Incumbent Jim Hamilton advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
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| ✔ |
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Jim Hamilton |
100.0
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2,083 |
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Total votes: 2,083 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2016[edit]
Elections for the Montana House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 14, 2016. Incumbent Kathleen Williams (D) did not seek re-election.
Jim Hamilton defeated Neal Ganser and Francis Wendt in the Montana House of Representatives District 61 general election.[10][11]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 61 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Jim Hamilton |
55.06% | 3,787 | |
| Republican | Neal Ganser | 40.77% | 2,804 | |
| Libertarian | Francis Wendt | 4.17% | 287 | |
| Total Votes | 6,878 | |||
| Source: Montana Secretary of State | ||||
Jim Hamilton ran unopposed in the Montana House of Representatives District 61 Democratic primary.[12][13]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 61 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Jim Hamilton (unopposed) | |
Neal Ganser ran unopposed in the Montana House of Representatives District 61 Republican primary.[14][15]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 61 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Neal Ganser (unopposed) | |
2014[edit]
Elections for the Montana House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014, and a general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 10, 2014; minor party and independent candidates had until June 2, 2014, to file. District 65 incumbent Kathleen Williams was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Nick Mahan was unopposed in the Republican primary. Williams defeated Mahan in the general election. Incumbent Alan Redfield (R) ran in District 59. Billie Love (R) filed to run, but was removed from the ballot before the primary.[16][17]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 61 General Election, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Kathleen Williams Incumbent |
57.6% | 2,975 | |
| Republican | Nick Mahan | 42.4% | 2,187 | |
| Total Votes | 5,162 | |||
2012[edit]
Elections for the office of Montana House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 5, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 12, 2012. Alan Redfield (R) was unopposed in the general election and defeated Debra Lamm and Daniel Burmeister in the Republican primary.[18][19][20]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 61 Republican Primary, 2012 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|
Alan Redfield |
50% | 1,333 |
| Debra Lamm | 41.6% | 1,107 |
| Daniel Burmeister | 8.4% | 224 |
| Total Votes | 2,664 | |
Campaign contributions[edit]
From 2012 to 2018, candidates for Montana House of Representatives District 61 raised a total of $86,792. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $8,679 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money
| Campaign contributions, Montana House of Representatives District 61 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
| 2018 | $9,204 | 2 | $4,602 |
| 2016 | $34,956 | 3 | $11,652 |
| 2014 | $13,467 | 2 | $6,734 |
| 2012 | $29,165 | 3 | $9,722 |
| Total | $86,792 | 10 | $8,679 |
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ Confirmed via email with the Montana State Legislature on 8/6/2011
- ↑ Montana Constitution, "Article V, Section 3," accessed February 9, 2021
- ↑ Montana State Constitution, "Article 5, Section 4," accessed February 9, 2021
- ↑ Montana State Constitution, "Article 4, Section 8," accessed February 9, 2021
- ↑ Montana Legislature, "Montana Code Annotated," accessed February 9, 2021 (Statute 5-2-402 (3) (a)-(c))
- ↑ Montana Legislature, "Montana Code Annotated," accessed February 9, 2021 (Statute 5-2-405 (1)-(2))
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 All About Redistricting, "Montana," accessed April 29, 2015
- ↑ Montana State Legislature, "Districting and Apportionment Commission," accessed October 6, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Legislative General Election Canvass," accessed December 21, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed March 24, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 primary election - June 7, 2016," accessed June 7, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed March 24, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 primary election - June 7, 2016," accessed June 7, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2014 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed October 29, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2014 Statewide Primary Election Canvass," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2012 Elections Candidate Information," accessed October 23, 2013
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2012 Legislatve Primary Election Canvass," accessed February 13, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2012 Legislative General Election Canvass," accessed February 13, 2014
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