Yellowstone County Justice of the Peace, Department 1
Yellowstone County, Montana
My vote power
Below average
Election date
November 3, 2026 · General election
How do we calculate my vote power?
What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.
Representation: Above average · 58 out of 100
This district is a good deal smaller than its state, so each vote here carries more weight than a vote in a statewide race. About 168,957 people live here.
Show the representation math
score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(1,116,875 ÷ 168,957) ÷ ln(50,000) = 58.73, measured against a statewide vote in MT (grades: 66+ high, 55+ above average, 33+ average, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)
Decisiveness: None · only 1 candidate
One candidate is running unopposed, so votes can't change the outcome.
Above average representation + an uncontested race → My vote power: Below average.
About this office
- Deciding small-claims cases
- Handling evictions, in many states
- Ruling on traffic and minor criminal citations, where state law allows
Affects: Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Civil Rights,
Candidates
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
David Carter is the Yellowstone County Justice of the Peace for Department 1. The county lists his current term as running through December 31, 2026.
Sources: yellowstonecountymt.gov2 · ballotpedia.org