Katharin Kelker
2023 - Present
2027
1
Katharin Kelker (Democratic Party) is a member of the Montana State Senate, representing District 24. She assumed office on January 2, 2023. Her current term ends on January 4, 2027.
Kelker (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Montana State Senate to represent District 24. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Katharin Kelker (Democratic Party) was a member of the Montana House of Representatives, representing District 47 from 2015 to 2022.
Biography
Katharin Kelker was born in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and lives in Billings, Montana. Kelker graduated from Chagrin Falls High School. She earned a B.A. in English from Hiram College, a master's degree in special education, and a doctorate in adult and higher education with a concentration in special education. Her career experience includes working as an educator, assistant professor of special education at Montana State University-Billings, and as the executive director of Head Start. Kelker founded the nonprofit called Parents, Let's Unite for Kids, where she worked as the executive director.[1][2]
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Kelker was assigned to the following committees:
- Highways and Transportation Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee, Vice Chair
- Legislative Audit Committee
2021-2022
Kelker was assigned to the following committees:
- Human Services Committee
- House Judiciary Committee, Vice Chair
2019-2020
Kelker was assigned to the following committees:
- House Judiciary Committee, Vice Chair
- Human Services Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Montana committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Human Services |
| • Judiciary |
| • Local Government |
| • Rules |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Kelker served on the following committees:
| Montana committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Judiciary |
| • Local Government |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Montana State Senate District 24
Katharin Kelker defeated Elijah Tidswell in the general election for Montana State Senate District 24 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Katharin Kelker (D) | 56.0 | 3,950 | |
| Elijah Tidswell (R) | 44.0 | 3,109 | ||
| Total votes: 7,059 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Montana State Senate District 24
Katharin Kelker advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana State Senate District 24 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Katharin Kelker | 100.0 | 2,243 | |
| Total votes: 2,243 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Montana State Senate District 24
Elijah Tidswell advanced from the Republican primary for Montana State Senate District 24 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Elijah Tidswell | 100.0 | 2,167 | |
| Total votes: 2,167 | ||||
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2020
See also: Montana House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Montana House of Representatives District 47
Incumbent Katharin Kelker defeated TJ Smith in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 47 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Katharin Kelker (D) | 55.5 | 2,485 | |
| TJ Smith (R) | 44.5 | 1,992 | ||
| Total votes: 4,477 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 47
Incumbent Katharin Kelker advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 47 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Katharin Kelker | 100.0 | 1,365 | |
| Total votes: 1,365 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 47
TJ Smith advanced from the Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 47 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | TJ Smith | 100.0 | 1,088 | |
| Total votes: 1,088 | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for Montana House of Representatives District 47
Incumbent Katharin Kelker defeated Colton Zaugg in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 47 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Katharin Kelker (D) | 59.7 | 2,352 | |
 | Colton Zaugg (R) | 40.3 | 1,586 | |
| Total votes: 3,938 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 47
Incumbent Katharin Kelker advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 47 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Katharin Kelker | 100.0 | 1,117 | |
| Total votes: 1,117 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 47
Colton Zaugg advanced from the Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 47 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Colton Zaugg | 100.0 | 946 |
| Total votes: 946 | ||||
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2016
Elections for the Montana House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 14, 2016.
Incumbent Kathy Kelker defeated Jason Thomas in the Montana House of Representatives District 47 general election.[3][4]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 47 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Kathy Kelker Incumbent |
58.51% | 2,272 | |
| Republican | Jason Thomas | 41.49% | 1,611 | |
| Total Votes | 3,883 | |||
| Source: Montana Secretary of State | ||||
Incumbent Kathy Kelker ran unopposed in the Montana House of Representatives District 47 Democratic primary.[5][6]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 47 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Kathy Kelker Incumbent (unopposed) | |
Jason Thomas ran unopposed in the Montana House of Representatives District 47 Republican primary.[7][8]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 47 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Jason Thomas (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the Montana House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014, and a general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 10, 2014; minor party and independent candidates had until June 2, 2014, to file. District 49 incumbent Mary McNally was unopposed in the Democratic primary but withdrew after becoming the replacement nominee in Senate District 24. Katharin Kelker was named as McNally's replacement. Joshua Sizemore was unopposed in the Republican primary. Kelker defeated Sizemore in the general election. Incumbent Daniel Zolnikov (R) ran in District 45.[9][10]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Katharin Kelker |
56.2% | 1,701 | |
| Republican | Joshua Sizemore | 43.8% | 1,328 | |
| Total Votes | 3,029 | |||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Katharin Kelker did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Katharin Kelker did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Montana scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Montana State Legislature was in session from January 2 to May 2.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Montana State Legislature was not in session. |
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Montana State Legislature was in session from January 4 to April 29.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Montana State Legislature was not in session. |
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Montana State Legislature was in session from January 7 through April 25.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Montana State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Montana State Legislature was in session from January 2 through April 28.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Montana State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Montana State Legislature was in session from January 5 through April 28.
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See also
2022 Elections
External links
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Candidate Montana State Senate District 24 |
Officeholder Montana State Senate District 24 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 'Katharin Kelker 2022 campaign website, "About," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ Facebook, "Katharin Kelker," accessed March 28, 2022
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Legislative General Election Canvass," accessed December 21, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed March 24, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 primary election - June 7, 2016," accessed June 7, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed March 24, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 primary election - June 7, 2016," accessed June 7, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2014 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed October 29, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2014 Statewide Primary Election Canvass," accessed June 30, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mary McNally (D) |
Montana State Senate District 24 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Montana House of Representatives District 47 2015-2023 |
Succeeded by - |
