Some regional legislative races did not require a primary vote because the seats were uncontested within Democrat or Republican primaries.
The races where a primary vote was necessary to advance to the Nov. 5 election included a few House and Senate districts in southwest Montana.
All results are unofficial.
Senate District 36
Anaconda residents Sara Novak and Jessica Wicks squared off as Democrats seeking to represent a new Senate District 36 that strongly favors Democrats based on boundaries and past voting.
Based on early, partial returns, Novak was leading with 1,418 votes, or 64%, to Wicks’ 783 votes, or 36% of the vote at about midnight.
Novak is an educator who served as an interim state senator after the death of Democrat Mark Sweeney of Philipsburg. Sweeney represented the previous District 39. District 36 now includes Anaconda and parts of urban Butte, traditionally Democrat-strong cities.
Wicks is a business agent for Teamsters Local 2 in Butte.
If nothing changes, Novak will take on Republican Darlean Newman of Anaconda in November.
In other primary contests in southwest Montana, early, partial results showed races both competitive and comparatively one-sided.
Senate District 38
Redistricting radically reconfigured the district once represented by Jim Keane and Edie McClafferty, both Democrats.
Beard held a lead with 48% of the vote at midnight, with Frazer at 26% and Mygland at 26%.
The winner will take on Democrat Jeffrey Benson of Boulder in November.
Senate District 35
Three Republicans were candidates in the new District 35 to represent an area long served by Republican Jeff Welborn of Dillon, who could not run again because of term limits.
No Democrat filed to run for Senate District 35 so the primary winner will likely take the seat.
House District 70
Term limits barred another run by Republican Tom Welch of Dillon, who has represented the district since 2017.
No Democrat filed to run for the seat, so unless an independent, minor-party or write-in gets in the race and wins, the Republican winner will likely be sworn in come January.
House District 76
Republican incumbent John Fitzpatrick of Georgetown Lake, seeking a second term, this time in the new House District 76, was challenged by fellow Republican Dave Kesler III of Philipsburg.
