Jeremiah D. Petersen

Democratincumbent

Sheriff / Coroner · Missoula County, Montana · November 3, 2026

Unopposed on this ballot.

Jeremiah D. Petersen is the sitting Missoula County Sheriff/Coroner, elected in 2022 after joining the office as a deputy in 2002, and he has no opponent in 2026. He says his office has improved response times and deputy retention, and he has said local agencies do not do immigration enforcement without deputization or a formal federal agreement.

What this office decides

The Sheriff / Coroner runs the Missoula County jail, patrols areas outside city limits, serves warrants and court papers, and oversees search and rescue; as coroner, the office investigates unexplained deaths. Within state law, the sheriff sets enforcement priorities and decides how the jail works with federal immigration authorities. Elected in a partisan race to a four-year term.

How this race lines up with you

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Dossier

Researched 2026-09-23 · Claude Code research agent with web search

Donald Trump: nothing found. No Trump endorsement or criticism of Petersen was found in a 2026 search; the race is uncontested.

Who they are

Jeremiah D. Petersen holds this seat: he was elected sheriff in November 2022, not appointed (Missoula County), and sworn in December 30, 2022 (NBC Montana). Hired as a deputy in 2002, he worked patrol, led the Missoula Drug Task Force from 2016, and ran the jail as a captain from 2019 (Missoula County). He is unopposed in 2026 (MTFP, 2026-03-06).

Positions

Crime & policing: Says he has "strengthened public safety," improved response times, and increased deputy training and retention (KPAX). At a February 12, 2026 forum he said the 2026 strategic plan targets street crime, professional development and efficiency (AI-generated meeting summary, Citizen Portal).
Gun policy: No public position found.
Immigration: A joint county commission and sheriff's office statement said the office "only investigates, and the Detention Center only holds people accused of actual crimes" (undated, KPAX). At the forum he and the police chief said local agencies do not do immigration enforcement without deputization or a federal agreement, and honor lawful federal warrants (AI-generated meeting summary, Citizen Portal).
Jail costs: On state inmates in county jails: "It's a financial burden on taxpayers, and inmates are not getting the resources they need" (KPAX/MTFP, 2025).

Record

His office reported 27,415 calls for service, 6,662 traffic stops (nearly double 2024) and 4,361 adult jail bookings in 2025 (Missoula County, 2026-02-11).

Money

The state campaign finance database (CERS) could not be read by automated tools; no fundraising coverage found.

What we couldn't find

Any position on gun policy.
Campaign finance totals.
His 2022 campaign site (offline) and a Missoulian Q&A (paywalled).

Sources (11)