Erin Farris-Olsen
Erin Farris-Olsen (Democratic) is a candidate for the Montana State Senate in District 41 (Lewis and Clark County) in the November 3, 2026 general election. Erin Farris-Olsen was born in Portland, Oregon . As of 2025, she had been a resident of Helena, Montana for 23 years. Farris-Olsen earned a bachelor's degree from Carroll College in 2006 and a law degree from the University of Oregon in 2010. Farris-Olsen's career experience includes working as a consultant, attorney, nonprofit leader, and small business owner. Farris-Olsen previously worked as a law clerk for the Montana Supreme Court , managed the Supreme Court’s Self-Help Law Centers, and served as an equal justice coordinator for the State Bar of Montana. She also worked as the Executive Director of the Montana Watershed Coordination Council and the Regional Director for the National Wildlife Federation.
Campaign site
“With over twenty years of experience in public service, law, and nonprofit leadership, I’ve helped turn big ideas into action. That includes work in the courtroom, at the Capitol, and in community-led efforts across Montana. Today, I lead a consulting business that supports organizations and local leaders in building capacity, securing resources, and turning vision into reality. I bring a well-rounded perspective, a deep love for this place, and a commitment to showing up and doing the work.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey) “From managing a statewide legal service program at the Montana Supreme Court to leading one of the state's largest watershed networks to helping rural communities cut through red tape and access the support they need, my work has always been about removing barriers, building trusted relationships, and helping people solve real problems.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey) “I’ve worked in state government, environmental law, national nonprofits, and now as the founder of my own consulting business. I understand how policy gets made, how public resources are used, and how to get results that reflect the needs of everyday Montanans.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey)Dru Koester
Dru Koester (Libertarian) is a candidate for the Montana State Senate in District 41 (Lewis and Clark County) in the November 3, 2026 general election. Dru Koester graduated from Shields Valley High School. Koester's career experience includes working as a business owner.
Campaign site
“My name is Dru Koester. You haven’t heard of me before, and that’s okay. I didn’t come from any fancy ivy league schools or gated communities. I don’t backpack in Europe or belong to any clubs that require jackets & pedigrees Nothing wrong with those things; in fact, they’re pretty nice. (Life is meant to have wonderful experiences, after all.).”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey) “But that’s just not where I come from — I’m from a farm in the heart of Eastern Montana. I grew up “riding the ditch” with my dad to check tubes on the sugar beet fields. Eating peas from my mom’s garden while the insects sang loudly on summer nights. Or climbing snow drifts in winter so high we could step right onto our garage roof.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey) “As a teen, I attended a small class C school at the base of the Crazy Mountains and spent hours driving down dirt roads in a GMC Suburban or driving down dirt rows in a red International, listening to the radio endlessly loop Reba and George.”
(Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey)