Montana House Race Decided By 17 Votes
A rare recount in House District 57 narrowed a 20-vote margin to 17, exposing how thin the line is in state legislative contests.
By Sanjay Caldwell ·
The final margin in Montana’s 2024 House District 57 race stood at 17 votes. Scott Rosenzweig secured the seat with 3,802 votes after a recount, while Marty Malone received 3,785. The original count had placed Rosenzweig ahead by 20 votes, but the recount reduced that gap by three.
Recounts in Montana legislative races occur infrequently. HD 57 represented the only recount in the 2024 cycle. State records show it was the eighth legislative recount since 2000. The narrow result demonstrates how small shifts in voting can alter the composition of the state legislature.
Montana’s official results from the November 5, 2024 General Election, list 612,423 cast ballots out of 799,849 registered voters. This produced a turnout rate of 76.57%. Consequently, approximately 187,426 registered voters did not cast a ballot in that election.
Families in the state are using these close margins to discuss civic participation with younger members. One parent described bringing their son to the polls since his birth. They review candidates and ballot measures together before election day. The parent stated that they want the child to see voting as a routine part of community life rather than a one-time event.
The family reviews their ballots together prior to the general election. The child asks questions about the choices presented on the paper. Parents explain their reasoning for each selection without expecting the child to agree with every decision. The goal is for the child to understand the weight of the vote when they reach voting age.
This approach allows children to listen to research and discussion regarding specific issues. It makes the process familiar before the child is eligible to vote independently. The 17-vote difference in HD 57 serves as a concrete example of how individual ballots influence final outcomes in tight contests.
The state’s voter registration numbers provide the baseline for these calculations. The 76.57% turnout figure reflects the participation level in the 2024 cycle. The HD 57 recount remains the sole legislative recount for that year, marking a statistical outlier in recent Montana election history.
