A new poll from Montana Free Press and Rutgers Eagleton found that most Montana voters believe the state is on the wrong track — a finding that will land with some weight in a capital city where state government is the single largest employer and political winds shape daily life for a lot of Helena households.
The poll surveyed 839 registered Montana voters, selected randomly from the state's voter file. Fifty-three percent said Montana "has gone off on the wrong track," compared to just 36% who said the state "is currently going in the right direction." Respondents also reported broad disapproval of the state's top elected officials, though specific approval figures were not detailed in the released summary.
The methodology here matters. This wasn't an online opt-in survey or a push poll — it drew from the actual registered voter file, which gives it more credibility than a lot of the polling Montanans see during campaign season. At 839 respondents, the sample is large enough to be statistically meaningful statewide, though Helena's own political makeup, which leans more Democratic than most of the state, may not be perfectly reflected in the topline numbers.
For residents watching the Helena City Commission navigate its own local priorities — housing, infrastructure, the future of the Walking Mall — the statewide mood is worth tracking. Legislative sessions shape what cities can and can't do, and a dissatisfied electorate has a way of making that felt when lawmakers return to Last Chance Gulch every two years.