DemocratIn office since Nov 2022

Jonathan Karlen

Montana State Representative, District 98 since 2022. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.

Montana State Representative, District 98Born 1999

Official website Wikipedia

In office: 3 yrs; Since 2022
Bills became law: 5; 13 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed: 0.0%; Chamber median 0.2%
With party: 92%; On votes splitting the parties
Last margin: +34.4; Won 2026
Next election: 2028; Nov 7, 2028

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

Rules · vice chair
Business and Labor
Fish and Wildlife
Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Legislative Administration
Legislative Council
Natural Resources
Natural Resources
Rules
Taxation

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 13 sponsored · 5 became law

BillIntroCmteHouseSenateLaw

HB 168 Provide state funding for preschool children with disabilities
Appropriations · Became law May 2025

HB 264 Generally revise wildlife location data subject to public information requests
Fish · Became law May 2025

HB 398 Generally revise insurance laws related to prior authorization of chronic conditions
Health Care Services · Became law May 2025

HB 399 Revise prior authorization laws
Health Care Services · Became law Apr 2025

HB 335 Revise laws related to professional licensing board appointments and reporting requirements
Professions and Occupations Generally · Became law Apr 2025

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Karlen sits in the Montana House of Representatives

Karlen is closer to the center than 81% of the chamber's Democrats.

Closest: Marc Lee, Bob Carter, Pete Elverum

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:55 PM ET

With Karlen’s party

Votes with the chamber's Democrats92%

Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Montana House of Representatives.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Karlen’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.

Date	Bill	Karlen	Dem. majority	Rep. majority	Result
Apr 28, 2025	SB 118: Generally revise student data laws to enhance privacy	No	No	Yes	Failed 33–67
Apr 25, 2025	SB 151: Direct the director of the public defender's office to create units for family defense and…	Yes	Yes	No	Failed 49–50
Apr 25, 2025	SB 321: Provide tax credits for children and child care	Yes	Yes	No	Failed 46–53
Apr 24, 2025	SB 322: Increase business equipment tax exemption	Yes	No	Yes	Failed 48–52

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Karlen was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

2022202320242025202620272028Montana House of Representatives, District 96 Montana House of Representatives, District 98

Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Elections

Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.

Year	Race	Result	Margin	Seat	+/−
2026	Montana House District 98	Won	D+34.4	D+14.5	+19.9
2024	Montana House of Representatives, District 98	Won	D+15.4	—	—
2022	Montana House of Representatives, District 96	Won	D+6.1	—	—