Flathead County Attorney Travis Ahner Sole Applicant for District Court Vacancy

Flathead County Attorney Travis Ahner emerged as the sole applicant by the Sept. 30 deadline to fill an upcoming judicial vacancy on the Flathead County District Court, placing him in direct line for an appointment by Montana Governor Greg Gianforte before the Nov. 29 deadline, according to reports.

Judicial Vacancy Triggered by State Supreme Court Election

The judicial seat opens following the Nov. 3 Montana Supreme Court election, where incumbent District Judges Amy Eddy and Dan Wilson are competing to succeed retiring Justice Beth Baker. Whichever judge wins that race will vacate their district bench seat, guaranteeing a vacancy in the Eleventh Judicial District regardless of the final election outcome, the Daily Inter Lake reported. Governor Gianforte began soliciting applications for the prospective opening on Sept. 1.

Ahner submitted his application on Sept. 4. The Governor’s Office opened a 30-day public comment period on Sept. 30, requiring applicants to secure at least three letters of support. Public comments and letters remain open for submission until 5 p.m. on Oct. 30, directed to Caitlin Wagoner at the Governor’s Office in Helena or via email, with all submissions posted publicly on the state’s judicial nomination portal.

Ahner Served as Flathead County Prosecutor Since 2018

Ahner has served as Flathead County’s top prosecutor since 2018 and is currently running unopposed for a third term in the November 2026 election, as reported. Before holding the county attorney post, he worked for a decade as a deputy county attorney in Flathead County and as a special assistant U.S. attorney. His legal background also includes clerking for the Montana Supreme Court between 2007 and 2008 and serving as an adjunct professor at Carroll College in 2008.

Graduating from Carroll College in 2002 with a degree in sociology and English following a year at West Point, Ahner earned his law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law in 2007. He also served as a substitute judge in Kalispell Municipal Court between 2013 and 2018, presiding over roughly 60 to 70 sessions. In his judicial application, Ahner described himself as a proponent of textualism who values legal precedent and the separation of powers. “A judge’s decisions should be governed by the facts of the case and the applicable law, not by agenda or a desired outcome,” Ahner wrote in application materials cited by the Daily Inter Lake.

Commissioners Must Appoint Replacement If Ahner Becomes Judge

Ahner noted that timing influenced his decision to seek the judgeship, explaining that he waited until his department achieved operational stability and adequate staffing. If Governor Gianforte appoints Ahner to the district court bench by the Nov. 29 deadline, Flathead County Commissioners must appoint a replacement to finish out his term as county attorney. Public feedback on the appointment remains active through the end of October as state officials prepare to evaluate the sole candidate’s qualifications.