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1974 Montana House of Representatives election

The 1974 Montana House of Representatives election took place on November 5, 1974, with the primary election held on June 4, 1974. Montana voters elected all 100 members of the Montana House of Representatives. Following the landmark Reynolds v. Sims (1964) US Supreme Court decision, every state had to redraw state electoral districts to be approximately equal in population. Before Reynolds, the Montana House consisted of 100 members from a mix of single- and multi-member districts. After the ruling, the Montana House had to shift to equally populated electoral districts. In 1972, the voters of Montana ratified the current Constitution of Montana, establishing the structure of the state house that is still used today: 100 representatives each elected from a single-member district. Since 1974, all Montana state representatives are elected in single-member districts in even-numbered years for two-year terms.

The election coincided with United States national elections and Montana state elections, including U.S. House and Montana Senate.

Following the previous election in 1972, Democrats held a 54-to-46-seat majority over Republicans. Democrats increased their majority in the legislature to 67 seats, while Republicans held 33—giving Democrats a net gain of 13 seats. The newly elected members served in the 44th Montana State Legislature, during which Democrat Pat McKittrick was elected Speaker of the Montana House.

Retiring incumbents

<span style="color:Blue">Democrats</span>

  1. District 3: Robert C. Prevost
  2. District 4: Orphey "Bud" Lien
  3. District 5: Robert S. Cotton
  4. District 8: Richard A. Colberg
  5. District 8: Ann K. "Pat" Regan
  6. District 8: Thomas E. Towe
  7. District 13: Larry Fasbender
  8. District 13: Michael T. "Mike" Greely
  9. District 13: John C. Hall
  10. District 13: Gorham E. Swanberg
  11. District 16: William "Bill" Zimmer
  12. District 18: Max S. Baucus
  13. District 18: Bill Norman
  14. District 18: Robert D. Watt
  15. District 19: John "Sandy" Mehrens
  16. District 20: John E. "Jack" Healy
  17. District 20: Robert E. "Bob" Lee
  18. District 21: James W. Flynn
  19. District 23: Joe R. Roberts

<span style="color:crimson">Republicans</span>

  1. District 2: James P. Lucas
  2. District 2: Walter J. Ulmer
  3. District 3: S.A. Olson
  4. District 6: Vic East
  5. District 8: Henry S. "Hank" Cox
  6. District 9: Jack E. Galt
  7. District 11: Wallace O. Forsgren
  8. District 11: Tom Rolfe
  9. District 13: Jack E. Kessner
  10. District 13: John F. Tierney
  11. District 14: Allen C. Kolstad
  12. District 16: Robert J. "Bob" Brown
  13. District 18: A.L. "Bud" Ainsworth
  14. District 18: George Turman

Incumbents defeated in primary election

<span style="color:Blue">Democrats</span>

  1. District 11: Robert E. Stephens
  2. District 39: William C. Hodges
  3. District 88: Jerry V. Lombardi
  4. District 90: Albert E. "Al" Kosena

<span style="color:crimson">Republicans</span>

  1. District 27: John F. Bell
  2. District 30: Hal Harper
  3. District 73: Bill Warfield
  4. District 82: Tom Clemow

Incumbents defeated in general election

<span style="color:Blue">Democrats</span>

  1. District 2: Wallace B. Edland
  2. District 9: Walter Laas
  3. District 31: Barbara K. Bennetts
  4. District 53: Henry J. Schepens

<span style="color:crimson">Republicans</span>

  1. District 17: Tom L. Jones
  2. District 18: Conrad F. Lundgren
  3. District 19: Clyde A. Turner
  4. District 29: Ruth B. Castles
  5. District 32: William C. "Bill" Campbell
  6. District 36: Tom Selstad
  7. District 40: Malcolm E. Holtz
  8. District 47: J. O. "Boots" Asbjornson
  9. District 58: John E. Walborn
  10. District 67: Robert E. Glennen
  11. District 71: James H. "Jim" Burnett
  12. District 92: C. Thornton Mann
  13. District 98: Gary R. Marbut
  14. District 100: Tom Haines

Summary of results

Italics denote an open seat held by the incumbent party; bold text denotes a gain for a party.

Detailed results by district

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

District 8

District 9

District 10

District 11

District 12

District 13

District 14

District 15

District 16

District 17

District 18

District 19

District 20

District 21

District 22

District 23

District 24

District 25

District 26

District 27

District 28

District 29

District 30

District 31

District 32

District 33

District 34

District 35

District 36

District 37

District 38

District 39

District 40

District 41

District 42

District 43

District 44

District 45

District 46

District 47

District 48

District 49

District 50

District 51

District 52

District 53

District 54

District 55

District 56

District 57

District 58

District 59

District 60

District 61

District 62

District 63

District 64

District 65

District 66

District 67

District 68

District 69

District 70

District 71

District 72

District 73

District 74

District 75

District 76

District 77

District 78

District 79

District 80

District 81

District 82

District 83

District 84

District 85

District 86

District 87

District 88

District 89

District 90

District 91

District 92

District 93

District 94

District 95

District 96

District 97

District 98

District 99

District 100

See also

References