Early census information reported by the Wall Street Journal found that the population of Montana grew by almost 80,000 in the past decade. Because of this, many analysts are predicting that Montana will be given a second representative in Congress following the release of census results next year. A second representative would also mean an additional vote in the electoral college, bringing the total up to four. This would be the first time since 1993 that Montana would have more than a single Representative after losing a seat after the results of the 1990 census.
Other states poised to gain a congressional seat are North Carolina, Arizona, Oregon, Florida, and Colorado while California, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota are all currently projected to lose a seat, reflecting lower birthrates and higher migration rates to states with warmer weather, higher job availability, and cheaper housing.
While we will have to wait until after the census is finished at the end of 2020 to find out the official results, the likely scenario is that Montana’s voice in the House will be growing in coming years. If the state decides to go with the previously used congressional districts, it will split the state into East and West with each side voting in their own representative. Nothing is concrete as of yet, but metropolitan centers like Billings have been growing at an unprecedented rate and if that is any indicator, Montanans will soon be voting for two House candidates every other year.
