Voting & Election

Electronic Balloting

The State Bar of Montana uses an online election system. Eligible voters will receive an email with voting instructions in May. If you're an eligible voter and did not receive the instructions, you may email membership@montanabar.org to request instructions to be sent again.

Positions on 2026 ballot

The State Bar will elect a President-Elect,Delegate to the ABA, and Trustees from the following bar areas:

-- One Trustee from Area A (Flathead and Lincoln counties);
-- Three Trustees from Area B (Lake, Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli, and Sanders counties);
-- One Trustee from Area C (Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Granite, Jefferson, Madison, Powell, and Silver Bow counties);
--Two Trustees from Area D (Cascade, Glacier, Pondera, Teton, and Toole counties);
--Two Trustees from Area G (Gallatin, Park, and Sweet Grass counties)

Position Descriptions

Board of Trustees (2-year term)

The duties of each Trustee are:

•   To attend each Board meeting, unless excused by the President for good cause.
•   To attend the annual meeting.
•   To actively participate on all committees or sections of which he or she is a member.
•   To regularly attend the meetings of local bar associations within the Trustee’s area and provide reports about State Bar activities to the local bar members.
•   To actively encourage and sponsor the formation of local bar associations within the Trustee’s area and serve as a voting member on the local bar association’s governing board (where permitted).
•   To serve as a liaison on the committees or sections to which the Trustee has been appointed by the President.
•   To accomplish such other purposes as may from time to time be appropriate.
•   Report on the committee or section activities.

President-Elect (1-year term)

The President-Elect is a member-at-large of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee; and performs all other duties assigned by the President or Board of Trustees. Before assuming the ofﬁce of president, the President-Elect must present to the Board of Trustees for its consideration a proposed plan of State Bar goals and objectives for the succeeding year. The Immediate Past President is a member of the Executive Committee. Responsibilities include: (1) organizing the local bar leadership conference; (2) chairing the Past Presidents Committee; (3) serves as a liaison with out of state Bar members; (4) performs other duties as assigned by the State Bar President or Board of Trustees.

State Bar of Montana Delegate to the ABA (1-year term)

Bar delegates are selected and certified by their bar associations as their representative in the House. The term of a bar delegate is two years.

2026 Candidates

President-Elect (1 position)

Anna M. Kecskés, Helena

I am excited to run for President of the State Bar of Montana for the 2027–2028 term. Since 2021, I have served on the Board of Trustees, where I have worked to understand the needs of attorneys across our state and the role the State Bar can play in supporting their practices. Although based in Helena, I am proud to have earned nomination support from attorneys across Montana, reflecting a shared commitment to a strong and inclusive Bar. If elected, I will prioritize strengthening member engagement, renewing attention on practical functions and resources that the State Bar has to offer, and ensuring that the State Bar delivers real value to its members.

State Bar of Montana Delegate to the ABA (1 position)

Natasha Y. Fernando, Billings

I am currently a Managing Public Defender for the Office of State Public Defender, Conflict Defender Division. Since beginning my legal career as a public defender in 2018, I have represented clients in felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, juvenile cases, and dependent-neglect proceedings. Other than my criminal law practice, I volunteer my time in the community with Montana Legal Services Association, representing clients pro bono in family law matters and serving on the executive board for the Yellowstone Area Bar Association (YABA). When I’m not in a courtroom, you can find me doing DIY projects around my house, spending time with my family, hanging out with my Dobermans, Yoshi and Peach, or reading my next book for book club. As the State Bar of Montana Delegate to the ABA, I hope to serve as a strong liaison between the State Bar’s executive leadership and the ABA, collaborate with other practitioners from across the U.S., promote engagement in our state bar and support our practitioners.

Tucker P. Gannett, Billings

It has been the pleasure of my career to serve the members of the Montana bar as the State Bar’s Delegate to the ABA’s House of Delegates since December of 2019. The ABA’s House of Delegates, as the policy-making body of the American Bar Association, determines what the profession will say to the Courts, Congress, Governments and Bar Associations. As the unified voice of the profession, the House provides critical guidance on key issues that are integral to our democracy and the ongoing viability of our republic. In my time serving, the House of Delegates has confronted the issues that vex Montana practitioners every day, from the emergence of remote courtroom appearances to confronting access to justice issues through programs aimed to train citizen advocates. It would be my honor to continue serving in that role so the voice of the Montana practitioner may still be heard in the larger conversation.

Area A Trustee (1 position)

Ryan G. Hennen, Whitefish

Area B Trustee (3 positions)

Meri K. Althauser, Missoula

I am running to serve as a Missoula trustee for the State Bar of Montana because I care about supporting lawyers at every stage of their careers, especially those just entering the profession. In my current role as Assistant Dean of Admissions at the Blewett School of Law, and as a bar prep instructor for our graduating students, I see firsthand what aspiring and new lawyers need as they transition into practice. I work closely with students as they tackle the bar exam and begin their careers, which gives me a clear view of the challenges they face and the support that the State Bar could provide that could make a difference. This experience puts me in a strong position to help connect the goals of the Bar with the realities facing newer attorneys. I am also especially interested in helping newer lawyers engage with the State Bar and feel like they have a place in it. Access to justice has been a consistent focus throughout my career. I operated a sliding scale law office, provided non-traditional mediation services to families in Missoula, and represented children in court. I also wrote an advice column for the Montana Lawyer for a number of years focusing on wellbeing. These experiences shape how I will approach participating as a Trustee and the importance of our role supporting attorneys serving communities across Montana.

Beth Hayes, Missoula

My name is Beth Hayes, and I am seeking another term representing Area B (Missoula, Ravalli, Mineral, Sanders and Lake Counties) as a State Bar of Montana Trustee. I have been a staff attorney at Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) since I graduated from the University of Montana School of Law in 2009. I work every day at MLSA explaining to low-income Montanans how our legal system works, what their rights are, and try to prepare them for what to expect as they navigate our courts. I take my role and responsibility seriously as a lawyer, and I would appreciate another term to be that same voice on the State Bar Board of Trustees. Lawyers play an important role in our communities, and I want to continue to be a part of the team that helps shape that role.

Dana L. Hupp, Missoula

I am seeking reelection to strengthen connections between Western Montana attorneys and the resources they rely upon to effectively serve their clients and communities. I hope to help attorneys better access the State Bar’s programs and services, encourage stronger communication and collaboration across our region, and support the Bar’s work both in serving its members and in sharing valuable information with Montanans about our legal system.

Area C Trustee (1 position)

Shelby Danna, Butte

Area D Trusee (2 positions)

Anthony R. Gallagher, Great Falls

I am honored to seek election as the Area D Trustee for the State Bar of Montana. Throughout my career, I have been committed to strengthening our legal community, supporting the work of our members, and ensuring that the Bar remains responsive to the evolving needs of attorneys across our state. Montana’s legal professionals face a wide range of challenges — from the unique pressures on rural practitioners to the demands placed on attorneys in larger firms and public service roles. These experiences have shaped my belief that our profession thrives when we prioritize collaboration, transparency, and meaningful support for one another. If elected, I will focus on:
-- Improving communication and engagement between the Board and our membership to ensure that decisions reflect the realities attorneys face in their daily practice.
-- Expanding access to justice by supporting initiatives that strengthen legal services in underserved communities.
-- Enhancing professional development through innovative continuing education, mentorship opportunities, and practical resources for solo and small-firm practitioners.
-- Promoting inclusivity and equity within the Bar by actively engaging with the diverse legal communities across Cascade, Glacier, Pondera, Teton, and Toole counties.
I believe the State Bar plays a vital role in fostering a strong, connected, and forward-looking profession. I would be grateful for the opportunity to contribute to that mission as your Area D Trustee.

Claire Lettow, Great Falls

Claire Lettow has represented Area D of the State Bar of Montana Board of Trustees since 2022, and is a managing attorney with the Office of the State Public Defender in Great Falls. Claire joined OPD in August of 2016 after moving to Great Falls from Alaska where she was born and raised. Claire graduated college at the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2008 and moved to the opposite end of the continent where she graduated from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2012. Since practicing criminal defense in Montana, Claire has tried a variety of jury trials from misdemeanors to serious felonies and even an involuntary commitment which resulted in a directed verdict in favor of her client. In addition to being a Trustee with the State Bar of Montana, Claire serves on the Board of Directors for the Federal Defenders of Montana and was appointed in 2024 to serve on the Montana Supreme Court Commission on Rules of Evidence . In her spare time, Claire enjoys traveling, taking advantage of nice days spent outside, and showin off her toddler daughter, Betty.

Area G Trustee (2 positions)

Anthony F. Jackson, Bozeman

E. Lars Phillips, Bozeman

I am interested in serving as a Trustee because of the important work the State bar does to: increase engagement between lawyers and local bar organizations, preserve collegiality within the Montana bar, and educate the public on the importance of the rule of law and the need for an independent judiciary. Additionally, for several years, I have been a member of the State Bar’s Justice Initiatives Committee focused on increasing access to legal services in Montana and removing barriers to pro bono and low bono or limited scope legal services, and I welcome the opportunity to continue to advocate for those issues as a Trustee. I am entering my 10th year of practice and believe I have the time and experience necessary to serve as a Trustee.

Voting and Eligibility

Voting members are active, active military service, and judicial members except Supreme Court justices. Only voting members may hold ofﬁce or vote in any election conducted by the State Bar. [By-laws of the State Bar of Montana, Article I, §3(c)]

A voting member is eligible to vote only in the area in which the member resides. A voting member may represent an area only if the member both resides in the area and either maintains a law practice or serves as a judicial officer in the area. [By-laws of the State Bar of Montana, Article III, §2(a)]

Election Calendar/Deadlines

April 6 – Filing deadline for original nomination petitions - download the form below

May 4 – Online voting begins

May 26 – Online voting period ends

June 5 – Votes tabulated