Montana Senate race 2026: Alme vs. Bankhead

RThe Ledger's profile

Kurt Alme

Twice Montana’s U.S. Attorney, state revenue and budget director, first-time candidate; Republican nominee for the open U.S. Senate seat in 2026.

Read the documented profile of Kurt Alme

Also on the ballot

Alani Bankhead

American retired Air Force special agent; 2026 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate from Montana

The general-election field as the board records it: Alme (R) vs. Alani Bankhead (D) vs. Seth Bodnar (I, ex-UM president) vs. Kyle Austin (L)

The race at a glance

Board data as of Sep 15, 2026. Ratings are the raters' own current calls; polls are the newest public ones with their field dates; money is what the committees reported. Nothing here is a forecast.

Seat

Open — Daines withdrew Mar 5 three minutes after Alme filed

Primary

Jun 2, 2026 (MT SOS ENR 728/728): R Alme 128,716 (76.1%); D Bankhead 48,772 (43.6%)

Ratings

Cook Solid R (Aug 20); Sabato Safe R (Aug 26); IE Solid R (Sep 3); DDHQ/RCP Likely R

Newest public polling

Rutgers-Eagleton/MTFP Aug 27–Sep 7 n=845 RV: Alme 38 / Bodnar 30 / Bankhead 16; Peak Insights (Alme) Aug 23–25: Alme 44 / Bodnar 22 / Bankhead 19; Hart (D, Forward Montana) Aug 1–4: Alme 45 / Bodnar 30 / Bankhead 15 (head-to-head 46-46)

Reported money

FEC Jun 30: Alme $1,984,860 / $1,450,718 COH; Bodnar $3,238,150 / $977,779; Bankhead $58,829

Notable

Trump endorsed Alme Mar 5. Bodnar is the live threat, not the Democrat.

Key dates in Montana

Read from the Montana Secretary of State. The full guide, with the official tools, is on the Montana page.

• Voter registration deadline (regular registration)October 5, 2026 — close of regular voter registration (30 days before the election); the Secretary of State's voter calendar lists the close at 5:00 p.m. After that date, Montana offers late registration in person, including on Election Day (see the late-registration item). sosmt.gov
• In-person absentee voting begins (Montana's early voting)October 5, 2026 — date by which absentee ballots must be available for voting in person (30 days before Election Day). The Secretary of State's calendar describes this as in-person absentee voting. sosmt.gov
• Absentee ballot application deadline (received by)Noon on Monday, November 2, 2026 (the day before the election): the application must be received by the county election office by then. It may be mailed or dropped off; a voter who drops it off can pick up the ballot at the same time. sosmt.gov
• Absentee ballot return deadline (received by)Must be received at the election office or a polling place by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026. This is a received-by deadline, not a postmark deadline. sosmt.gov
• Election DayTuesday, November 3, 2026 — general election. sosmt.gov
• Poll hours7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polling places with fewer than 400 registered voters (registered minus absentee) may open after 7:00 a.m. but must open no later than noon. sosmt.gov

Voting in Montana: dates, rules and official tools

Questions and answers