Sanders County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
10 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 6 Sanders County races, led by the Public Service Commission District 5 contest.
Judges
District Court Judge, 20th Judicial District, Department 1Nonpartisan race · Molly Owen
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Molly Owen is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for District Court Judge, 20th Judicial District, Department 1.
Molly Owen Nonpartisan Incumbent
Molly Owen serves as the Department 1 District Judge of Montana's 20th Judicial District, covering Lake and Sanders counties, per Lake County. No campaign website was found as of September 21, 2026.
Molly Owen is the sitting judge and no one filed against the seat, so the November 3, 2026 ballot asks voters in the 20th Judicial District (Lake, Sanders) to approve or reject keeping the judge, under Article VII, Section 8 of the Montana Constitution. Montana judicial races are nonpartisan. Listed from the Montana Secretary of State's 2026 candidate list.
Full race pageDistrict Court Judge, 20th Judicial District, Department 2 (unexpired term)Nonpartisan race · John A. Mercer
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
John A. Mercer is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for District Court Judge, 20th Judicial District, Department 2 (unexpired term).
John A. Mercer Nonpartisan Incumbent
John A. Mercer serves as the Department 2 District Judge of Montana's 20th Judicial District, covering Lake and Sanders counties, running for the unexpired term, per Lake County. No campaign website was found as of September 21, 2026.
John A. Mercer is the sitting judge and no one filed against the seat, so the November 3, 2026 ballot asks voters in the 20th Judicial District (Lake, Sanders) to approve or reject keeping the judge, under Article VII, Section 8 of the Montana Constitution. Montana judicial races are nonpartisan. Listed from the Montana Secretary of State's 2026 candidate list.
Full race pageDistricts and boards
Public Service Commission District 5Annie Bukacek (R) · Kevin Hamm (D)
Annie Bukacek (Republican) and Kevin Hamm (Democratic) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Public Service Commission District 5.
Annie Bukacek Republican Incumbent
- On new data centers, wants to ensure existing residential and small business customers are not saddled with any share of a data center's energy costs
- On the proposed NorthWestern and Black Hills utility merger, supports the Commission's standard process of collecting public comment and building as complete an evidentiary record as possible before deciding
- Notes the Commission is one of Montana's smallest state agencies and has suggested additional funding could support hiring more industry experienced examiners
Per the Montana Free Press candidate questionnaire.
About Annie Bukacek
Annie Bukacek, of Kalispell, is a physician with more than forty years of experience who operates a small medical practice and holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, per the Flathead Beacon. She has served as the District 5 Public Service Commissioner since 2022 and previously served on the Flathead City-County Board of Health, per the same source and the Commission's own website.
Kevin Hamm Democratic
- Opposes the Commission's recent decision to raise NorthWestern Energy's residential base rates and to shift more risk for the utility's energy buying decisions onto ratepayers, and wants a commission that prioritizes families over utility profits
- Wants the state to build out wind, solar, and storage capacity as part of Montana's electricity generation future
Per the campaign site.
About Kevin Hamm
Kevin Hamm is a small business owner and community organizer who has called Montana home since childhood, per his campaign site. He has served on community boards including the Queen City Ballet and Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, and founded the Happiness and Joy Foundation, a nonprofit that has directed the Montana Pride celebration for more than a decade. He founded Studio 19 in 2010, which manages live video production for Frontier Conference athletics and streaming for Carroll College, and later launched Auxilyum Technologies, an information technology support company for small businesses, per the same source.
Republican incumbent Annie Bukacek faces Democrat Kevin Hamm for the Public Service Commission District 5 seat, per the Montana Secretary of State's certified candidate list. This district covers only part of the county; the seat appears only on ballots inside the district.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Sanders County is split across 3 Montana House districts.
Find your districts by addressMontana House: 3 districtsDistricts 14, 90, 91
Montana House District 14Paul Fielder (R) · Colleen Hinds (D)
Paul Fielder Republican Incumbent
Paul is a third-session Montana lawmaker from Thompson Falls who represents House District 14, per Montana Free Press. He chairs the House Taxation Committee, per Montana Free Press. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026.
Colleen Hinds Democratic
Colleen Hinds is the Democratic nominee for Montana House District 14 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Montana Secretary of State's 2026 candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026.
Paul Fielder (Republican), Colleen Hinds (Democratic) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Montana House District 14. Paul Fielder is the sitting member, per the Secretary of State's list. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the Montana Secretary of State's 2026 candidate list.
Full race pageMontana House District 90Kelley Durbin-Williams (Independent) · Jeff Stanek (R)
Kelley Durbin-Williams Independent
Kelley owns Mismo Gymnastics in Missoula, per the Valley Press/Mineral Independent. She is running as an independent candidate for House District 90. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026. Ballot status: Kelley Durbin-Williams filed as an independent by petition; the Secretary of State's list showed the petition as pending when checked on September 17, 2026.
Jeff Stanek Republican
- Supports limiting the size and spending of government
- Supports property tax relief
- Supports Montana-based resource development including lumber, energy and minerals
Per the campaign site.
About Jeff Stanek
Jeff is a social studies teacher at St. Regis Middle School/High School, where he has taught for eight years, per the campaign site. He is a former U.S. Air Force Security Forces officer who was a 2021 Montana Teacher of the Year finalist and received the 2025 Montana History Teacher of the Year award, per the campaign site.
Kelley Durbin-Williams (Independent), Jeff Stanek (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Montana House District 90. The state's list marks no incumbent for this seat. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the Montana Secretary of State's 2026 candidate list.
Full race pageMontana House District 91Shelly Fyant (D) · Charles Headley (R)
Shelly Fyant Democratic Incumbent
- Protecting Montana's environment
- Health care and food security for Montana's changing demographics
- Safe learning environments for students
Per the campaign site.
About Shelly Fyant
Shelly is a former chairwoman of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and has experience drafting and sponsoring bipartisan legislation, per the campaign site.
Charles Headley Republican
Charles Headley is the Republican nominee for Montana House District 91 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Montana Secretary of State's 2026 candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026.
Shelly Fyant (Democratic), Charles Headley (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Montana House District 91. Shelly Fyant is the sitting member, per the Secretary of State's list. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the Montana Secretary of State's 2026 candidate list.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Montana party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary (plurality, no runoffs); the field is the Secretary of State's 2026 candidate list, where Nominated marks each party's nominee. Independent candidates qualify by petition. Unopposed candidates still appear on the ballot. All 100 state House seats and half of the 50 state Senate seats are up, along with two Public Service Commission districts, a Supreme Court seat and county offices.
Who is on the ballot in Sanders County, Montana on November 3, 2026?
Sanders County sample ballot 2026: see where the public service commission and montana house candidates stand on the environment, roads and schools. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Montana?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Montana are listed on the Montana election hub. Montana election hub →
How do I see my exact Sanders County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
Montana statewide racesEvery Montana race on this county's ballot.