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Montana

Created by the Montana Stance on Science team. Please contact stanceonsciencemt@gmail.com with any questions. Follow us on Bluesky.

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Montana will face many challenges in the coming years, and it is increasingly critical that our policymakers understand the importance of evidence-based decision-making. The goals of this resource are to:

  1. Provide voters with clear, accessible information so they can see how candidates value science in decision-making.
  2. Hold candidates accountable by sharing their responses publicly on our website and via local media.
  3. Encourage thoughtful engagement between communities and policymakers on science policy-related topics in our state.

Through Stance on Science, we hope to help Montanans understand how their elected representatives will utilize science to improve the state that they love. Learn more about this initiative on the home page.

How to use this resource

This webpage houses the responses to 4 questions crafted by the Montana Stance on Science team.

Only official candidates who will appear on ballots were contacted.

Candidates were contacted in September 2026 (with a follow-up to those who did not initially respond) and given the opportunity to answer all questions. Only the responses of candidates who answered the questions are included. None of the candidates' responses were modified in any way before being published on this resource page.

For the November 2026 General Election, only candidates in the following elections were contacted:

US Senate
  • Democratic, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, and Nonpartisan
US House of Representatives
  • 1st Congressional District Representative (Democratic, Republican, Libertarian)
  • 2nd Congressional District Representative (Democratic, Republican, Independent, Libertarian)
The questions posed
  1. As electricity demand increases due to manufacturing, electrification, and data infrastructure, what role, if any, do you believe alternative energy sources, such as nuclear energy, wind, or solar, should play in America’s future energy mix? What policies, if any, would you support related to alternative energy development, regulation, and/or research, and why? (see "Energy")
  2. Do you see community-based institutions like K–12 schools and community colleges playing a role in strengthening science and research across MT state? If so, what policies do you support regarding these institutions? (see "K-12 Science Education")
  3. The Sand Creek & Bobcat Lake Fire, is recorded to be one of ten largest fire in the state in August 2026, burning over 43,000 acres near Wisdom and Wise River. What are your policies around fire risk management for the state? (see "Climate")
  4. Pesticides are widely used in food production to help manage pests and support crop yields, but ongoing debates over their safety have raised questions about their long-term use and led to proposals to restrict certain pesticides. What data and evidence will you use to weigh the role of these products in food security against safety concerns when shaping policy on their use in Montana’s agriculture? (see "Agriculture")

Disclaimer

The responses of candidates shared on this webpage do not reflect the views of the Montana Stance on Science team or the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP) Coalition. SNAP is a non-partisan organization (please see more about SNAP here). SNAP and the Montana Stance on Science team do not endorse any candidates. The goals of this initiative can be found here. Please contact stanceonsciencemt@gmail.com with any questions.

To find your districts for state and federal races and see who is on your ballot, please visit the official website of the Montana Secretary of State’s Office.

November 2026 General Election

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