Montana State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2024
Montana Senate District 40
A district of about 31,000 people, 49% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+4.5 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Laura Smith (D) · won53.7%
- Greg L. Guthrie (R)46.3%
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
13 races since 1974; the seat changed party 2 times. 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 | Laura Smith (D) | Greg L. Guthrie (R) | 7.5 |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Terry J. Gauthier (R) | Catherine Scott (D) | 20.9 |
| 2016 | Terry J. Gauthier (R) | Hal Jacobson (D) | 5.4 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2010 | Mary Caferro (D) | Patrick Faber (R) | 10.4 |
| 2006 | Steve Bullock and Mike Cooney (D) | Bob Leach (R) | 36.4 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Bob Depratu (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 1996 | Bob Depratu (R)Flip | Rebecca Saunders (D) | 32.1 |
| 1992 | Dorothy Eck (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Dorothy Eck (D) | Mike Strawbridge (R) | 24.0 |
| 1984 | Dorothy Eck (D) | Rose Ann Penwell (R) | 13.4 |
| 1982 | Leo Lane (D) | Mike Anderson (R) | 8.8 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1978 | Mike Anderson (R)Flip | Terry Murphy (D) | 0.8 |
| 1974 | Terry Murphy (D) | M. Leo Clinton (R) | 19.6 |
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 40
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 40'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+4.7 | No race | D+9.4 | R+12.4 |
| U.S. Senate | No race | D+29.0 | D+14.9 | R+2.0 |
| Governor | D+29.8 | No race | No race | R+13.3 |
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 40.
Higher than 86% of seats.
Lower than 82% of seats.
Higher than 57% of seats.
Higher than 84% of seats.
Lower than 73% of seats.
Denser than 69% 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. 1 of the 4 flipped this year.
District 3358% college gradsD+12.7Not up in 2026District 29
47% college gradsD+2.6Flipped DDistrict 42
43% college gradsR+11.8Held DDistrict 41
35% college gradsD+5.6Held D
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