Montana State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2024
Montana Senate District 36
A district of about 21,000 people, 25% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+8.2 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Sara Novak (D) · won62.4%
- Darlean Newman (R)37.6%
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:13 PM ET
Where it sits among all 50 seats
Every Montana State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
14 races since 1974; the seat changed party 1 time. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2024 | |||
| 2024 | Sara Novak (D) | Darlean Newman (R) | 24.8 |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Jeff Welborn (R) | John Lamb (I) | 59.1 |
| 2016 | Jeff Welborn (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 2012 | Debby Barrett (R) | Richard Turner (D) | 42.1 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Debby Barrett (R) | Lynn Brown Giles (D) | 31.3 |
| 2004 | Bill Tash (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Jim Elliott (D) | Greg W. Hinkle (R) | 1.0 |
| 1996 | Barry Stang (D) | Greg W. Hinkle (R) | 3.7 |
| 1992 | Judy H. Jacobson (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Judy H. Jacobson (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 1984 | Judy H. Jacobson (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 1982 | Max Conover (D) | Keith E. Martin (R) | 1.7 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1978 | Max Conover (D)Flip | L. M. Aber (R) | 0.5 |
| 1974 | L. M. Aber (R) | Frank Danichek (D) | 16.4 |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 36
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 36's area in each.
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | D+13.0 | No race | D+13.3 | D+6.1 |
| U.S. Senate | No race | D+45.5 | D+27.8 | D+29.6 |
| Governor | D+45.8 | No race | No race | D+10.7 |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 50 seats. Small marks are other seats in Montana. The black marker is District 36.
Lower than 82% of seats.
Higher than 96% of seats.
Lower than 94% of seats.
Lower than 65% of seats.
Lower than 78% of seats.
Less dense than 55% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 4135% college gradsD+5.6Held DDistrict 46
29% college gradsD+13.8Not up in 2026District 37
26% college gradsD+10.5Not up in 2026District 16
26% college gradsD+7.1Not up in 2026
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET