Montana

Introduction

Montana is a thinly populated western state with a notable anti-establishment streak.

Economy

Historically the economy of Montana was based on it's diversified natural resources and this remains broadly true today. The western, mountainous, half of the state has large mining and forestry industries with logging being particularly important near the Canadian border. The economy of the east of the state is largely based around ranching and energy extration (especially oil & natural gas, although opencast coal is important in the Powder River area). What manufacturing there is is largely based around the processing of local raw materials. Tourism is a growing industry in the Rockies.

People

Montana is a sparsely populated and, with the exception of several large Indian Reservations, very white state. There are large ethnic populations, especially Germans (in the east and centre of the state), Scandinavians (all over the state, but especially in the Northeast) and Irish (largely in the west with an notably large concentration in Butte). While Montana is largely Catholic (or Lutheran in heavily Scandinavian areas) there are large populations of religious minority groups, notably Mormons (especially in Beaverhead County) and Mennonites (especially in Meagher County).

Politics

Montana is perhaps best known for it's anti-estabishment streak and it's independent mindedness (after all it gave Ross Perot 26% in 1992) something that may be a result of it's geographical isolation and distance from the centres or political and economic power. A common theme in Montana's political history has been conflict between the owners of industry and various other groups (especially labor and environmentalist) which have often resulted from a basic conflict of interest. In a state as independent minded as Montana, genuine political strongholds are relatively rare, although in general it's possible to say that the Democratic Party generally polls best in mining and ex-mining areas in the west of the state (where unions are strong), in the Reservations and in Missoula (which has a large student population) and that the Republican Party generally polls best in the ranching and oil communities in the east of the state, areas in the west of the state home to religious minorities and (usually) in Billings (the state's largest city).

Election Law

• Method for Choosing Presidential Electors: Statewide Popular Vote, Winner-Take-All
• Fusion Legal: No

Presidential Election Results

• Montana Election Results 2004 Summary Page

• Montana Election Results Comparison Table 1892 - 2004

Links

• Montana State Home Page
• Montana Secretary of State - Elections
• Montana Election Law (Title 13 of the Montana Code Annotated)

Cities

• Billings
• Great Falls
• Missoula
• Butte

Trivia

In 1916 Montana elected Jeanette Rankin the first woman to serve in Congress