Background on Term Limits in Montana:
In 1992, Montanans passed a constitutional initiative (CI-64) establishing limits on how long statewide elected executive officers, state legislators, and members of Congress* can hold office.
*In 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down term limits on congressional terms, saying that states do not have the constitutional authority to regulate the tenure of federal legislators.
The effect of CI-64 was to prohibit the following public officials from seeking re-election if they have already held the office for 8 years in any 16-year period:
- Please note that pursuant to passage of Senate Bill 311 in 2011 and based on the 2012 Attorney General opinion at 54-4, “a candidate may file for office if, at the time the candidate begins to serve in that office, he or she will have had an 8-year break in service over a 16-year period of time.”
- For example, an individual who served from 1999 to 2007 would no longer be prohibited by term limits from filing for the same office in 2014, since as of the time the individual begins to serve in 2015, there will have been a 8-year break in service (from January 2007- January 2015).
An official can be re-elected by write-in vote, even after serving 8 years in a 16-year period.
Executive Branch
Certain top elected executive officials were elected in 2012, and were re-elected in 2016, so they will reach their term limit in 2020:
The following top elected executive officials were elected in 2016 and if re-elected in 2020 will be term limited in 2024:
- Secretary of State Corey Stapleton
- State Auditor Matt Rosendale
- Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen
Public Service Commission
Pursuant to 69-1-105, MCA, Public Service Commissioners are also subject to term limits:
Two Commissioners were elected in 2012, and were re-elected in 2016, so each will reach his term limit in 2020:
- District 3: Public Service Commissioner Roger Koopman
- District 4: Public Service Commissioner Bob Lake
One Commissioner was elected in 2014, and if re-elected in 2018, will reach his term limit in 2022:
One Commissioner was elected in 2016, and if re-elected in 2020, will reach his term limit in 2024:
One Commissioner was elected in 2018 and will reach his term limit in 2026:
State Senate
2019 members of the state Senate, who are elected for four-year terms, will be term-limited from this body according to the following schedule:
| District | Senator | Ineligible |
| 1 | Mike Cuffe | 2026 |
| 2 | Dee L. Brown | 2020 |
| 3 | Keith Regier | 2024 |
| 4 | Mark W. Blasdel | 2022 |
| 5 | Bob Keenan | 2022 |
| 6 | Albert Olszewski | 2024 |
| 7 | Jennifer Fielder | 2020 |
| 8 | Susan A. Webber | 2026 |
| 9 | Bruce (Butch) Gillespie | 2026 |
| 10 | Steve Fitzpatrick | 2024 |
| 11 | Tom Jacobson | 2026 |
| 12 | Carlie Boland | 2026 |
| 13 | Brian Hoven | 2022 |
| 14 | Russel E. Tempel | 2026 |
| 15 | Ryan Osmundson | 2024 |
| 16 | Frank Smith | 2024 |
| 17 | Mike Lang | 2024 |
| 18 | Steve Hinebauch | 2024 |
| 19 | Kenneth Bogner | 2026 |
| 20 | Duane Ankney | 2022 |
| 21 | Jason Small | 2024 |
| 22 | Douglas Kary | 2022 |
| 23 | Roger Webb | 2020 |
| 24 | Mary McNally | 2022 |
| 25 | Jen Gross | 2024 |
| 26 | Margaret MacDonald | 2024 |
| 27 | Cary L. Smith | 2022 |
| 28 | Tom Richmond | 2024 |
| 29 | David Howard | 2022 |
| 30 | John Esp | 2026 |
| 31 | Mike Phillips | 2020 |
| 32 | Pat Flowers | 2026 |
| 33 | Jennifer Pomnichowski | 2022 |
| 34 | Gordon Vance | 2022 |
| 35 | Scott Sales | 2020 |
| 36 | Jeffrey Welborn | 2024 |
| 37 | Jon Sesso | 2020 |
| 38 | Edie McClafferty | 2024 |
| 39 | Gene Vuckovich | 2020 |
| 40 | Terry Gauthier | 2024 |
| 41 | Janet Ellis | 2026 |
| 42 | Jill Cohenour | 2022 |
| 43 | Jason W. Ellsworth | 2026 |
| 44 | Fred Thomas | 2020 |
| 45 | Dick Barrett | 2020 |
| 46 | Sue Malek | 2020 |
| 47 | Daniel Salomon | 2024 |
| 48 | Nate McConnell | 2026 |
| 49 | Diane Sands | 2022 |
| 50 | Bryce Bennett | 2026 |
State House of Representatives
2019 members of the state House of Representatives, who are elected for two-year terms, will be term-limited from this body according to the following schedule:
| District | Representative | Ineligible |
| 1 | Steve Gunderson | 2024 |
| 2 | Neil A. Duram | 2026 |
| 3 | Zac Perry | 2022 |
| 4 | Matt Regier | 2024 |
| 5 | Dave Fern | 2024 |
| 6 | Carl Glimm | 2020 |
| 7 | Frank Garner | 2022 |
| 8 | John Fuller | 2026 |
| 9 | David Dunn | 2026 |
| 10 | Mark Noland | 2022 |
| 11 | Derek Skees | 2022 |
| 12 | Gerg Hertz | 2020 |
| 13 | Bob Brown | 2022 |
| 14 | Denley M. Loge | 2024 |
| 15 | Marvin R. Weatherwax Jr. | 2026 |
| 16 | Tyson T. Runningwolf | 2026 |
| 17 | Ross H. Fitzgerald | 2024 |
| 18 | Llew Jones | 2026 |
| 19 | Wendy McKamey | 2022 |
| 20 | Fred Anderson | 2024 |
| 21 | Ed Buttrey | 2026 |
| 22 | Lola Sheldon-Galloway | 2024 |
| 23 | Brad Hamlett | 2024 |
| 24 | Barbara Bessette | 2026 |
| 25 | Jasmine Krotkov | 2026 |
| 26 | Casey Schreiner | 2020 |
| 27 | Joshua J. Kassmier | 2026 |
| 28 | Jacob D. Bachmier | 2024 |
| 29 | Dan Bartel | 2024 |
| 30 | E. Wylie Galt | 2022 |
| 31 | Bridget Smith | 2020 |
| 32 | Jonathan Windy Boy | 2024 |
| 33 | Casey Knudson | 2024 |
| 34 | Rhonda Knudson | 2026 |
| 35 | Joel G. Krautter | 2026 |
| 36 | Alan Doane | 2020 |
| 37 | Frederick (Eric) Moore | 2026 |
| 38 | Kenneth Holmlund | 2022 |
| 39 | Geraldine Custer | 2022 |
| 40 | Barry Usher | 2024 |
| 41 | Rae Peppers | 2020 |
| 42 | Sharon Stewart Peregoy | 2024 |
| 43 | Peggy Webb | 2024 |
| 44 | Dale Mortensen | 2022 |
| 45 | Daniel Zolnikov | 2020 |
| 46 | Bill Mercer | 2026 |
| 47 | Kathy Kelker | 2022 |
| 48 | Jessica L. Karjala | 2022 |
| 49 | Emma Kerr-Carpenter | 2026 |
| 50 | Jade Bahr | 2026 |
| 51 | Frank Fleming | 2026 |
| 52 | Rodney Garcia | 2026 |
| 53 | Dennis Lenz | 2022 |
| 54 | Terry Moore | 2026 |
| 55 | Vince Ricci | 2022 |
| 56 | Sue Vinton | 2024 |
| 57 | Forrest J. Mandeville | 2022 |
| 58 | Seth Berglee | 2022 |
| 59 | Alan Redfield | 2020 |
| 60 | Laurie Bishop | 2024 |
| 61 | Jim Hamilton | 2024 |
| 62 | Tom Woods | 2020 |
| 63 | Zach Brown | 2022 |
| 64 | Kerry E. White | 2020 |
| 65 | Christopher Pope | 2026 |
| 66 | Denise Hayman | 2022 |
| 67 | Tom Burnett | 2020 |
| 68 | Bruce Grubbs | 2024 |
| 69 | Walt Sales | 2024 |
| 70 | Julie Dooling | 2026 |
| 71 | Ray L. Shaw | 2020 |
| 72 | Tom Welch | 2024 |
| 73 | Jim Keane | 2024 |
| 74 | Derek J. Harvey | 2026 |
| 75 | Greg Devries | 2026 |
| 76 | Ryan Lynch | 2020 |
| 77 | Mark Sweeney | 2026 |
| 78 | Gordon Pierson Jr. | 2020 |
| 79 | Robert Farris-Olsen | 2026 |
| 80 | Becky Beard | 2024 |
| 81 | Mary M. Caferro | 2026 |
| 82 | Moffie Funk | 2022 |
| 83 | Kim Abbott | 2024 |
| 84 | Mary Ann Dunwell | 2022 |
| 85 | Theresa Manzella | 2022 |
| 86 | David Bedey | 2026 |
| 87 | Nancy Ballance | 2020 |
| 88 | Sharon Greef | 2026 |
| 89 | Katie Sullivan | 2026 |
| 90 | Marilyn Marler | 2026 |
| 91 | Connie Keogh | 2026 |
| 92 | Mike Hopkins | 2024 |
| 93 | Joe Read | 2026 |
| 94 | Kimberly P. Dudik | 2020 |
| 95 | Shane A. Morigeau | 2024 |
| 96 | Thomas Winter | 2026 |
| 97 | Bradley E. Tschida | 2022 |
| 98 | Willis Curdy | 2022 |
| 99 | Marilyn Ryan | 2024 |
| 100 | Andrea Olsen | 2022 |
