IncumbentRepublican

Annie Bukacek

Public Service Commissioner District 5

2026 Montana Public Service Commissioner — District 5 — General Election · November 3, 2026

Published evidence-backed profile

Official filing status and all displayed profile fields are shown with retained source evidence. Final ballot placement remains explicitly pending.

Last reviewed September 17, 2026

Overview

Current race
2026 Montana Public Service Commissioner — District 5 — General Election on November 3, 2026
Official candidacy
Public Service Commissioner District 5 · Republican · Incumbent
Identity match
Identity verified in official records

Policy statements from campaign-controlled sources are labeled candidate positions; they are not independently presented as proven outcomes.

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Montana Secretary of State — 2026 General Election Candidate List

Office: Public Service Commissioner — District 5

Candidate: Annie Bukacek

Party: Republican

Status: FILED

Filed: 2026-07-10T15:08:54-06:00

Official and campaign contacts

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Experience

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RANDY PINOCCI, COMMISSIONER

Source-published biography

Randy Pinocci was elected to serve on the Public Service Commission in 2018. His district has changed twice since he was elected. The district currently encompasses 20 house districts, and has the most square miles of any PSC district.

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Randy Pinocci was elected to serve on the Public Service Commission in 2018. His district has changed twice since he was elected. The district currently encompasses 20 house districts, and has the most square miles of any PSC district.

RANDY PINOCCI, COMMISSIONER

Source-published biography

Prior to being elected to the PSC, Randy Pinocci was a small business owner while working full time in the printing business for over 32 years, specializing in political direct mail. He also has served as a statewide director for former United States Senator Conrad Burns, chair of the Second Amendment Committee for the Republican Party (the first of its kind in the United States, set up by former NRA President Charlton Heston). Pinocci also served in 2015 as a member of the Montana State House of Representatives. He served as a longtime member of the Board of Directors for the Montana Shooting Sports Association (MSSA). During that time, he assisted in introducing and passing pro-gun laws in Montana. MSSA has passed more pro-gun law than any other state organization in United States history.

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Prior to being elected to the PSC, Randy Pinocci was a small business owner while working full time in the printing business for over 32 years, specializing in political direct mail. He also has served as a statewide director for former United States Senator Conrad Burns, chair of the Second Amendment Committee for the Republican Party (the first of its kind in the United States, set up by former NRA President Charlton Heston). Pinocci also served in 2015 as a member of the Montana State House of Representatives. He served as a longtime member of the Board of Directors for the Montana Shooting Sports Association (MSSA). During that time, he assisted in introducing and passing pro-gun laws in Montana. MSSA has passed more pro-gun law than any other state organization in United States history.

RANDY PINOCCI, COMMISSIONER

Source-published biography

Randy's statement on serving as a Montana Public Service Commissioner:

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Randy's statement on serving as a Montana Public Service Commissioner:

TONY O'DONNELL, COMMISSIONER

Source-published biography

Tony O’Donnell was elected to District 2 of the Montana Public Service Commission in November 2016. His district encompasses the south-central portion of the state, spanning from part of Yellowstone County to part of Missoula County.

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Tony O’Donnell was elected to District 2 of the Montana Public Service Commission in November 2016. His district encompasses the south-central portion of the state, spanning from part of Yellowstone County to part of Missoula County.

TONY O'DONNELL, COMMISSIONER

Source-published biography

Tony has a genuine passion for work and has held 2-3 concurrent jobs throughout most of his life. Early in his career he spent several years in the financial and insurance professions. Prior to serving on the Montana Public Service Commission he worked at Lowe’s Home Improvement for 16 years, while simultaneously running a retail merchandising company.

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Tony has a genuine passion for work and has held 2-3 concurrent jobs throughout most of his life. Early in his career he spent several years in the financial and insurance professions. Prior to serving on the Montana Public Service Commission he worked at Lowe’s Home Improvement for 16 years, while simultaneously running a retail merchandising company.

TONY O'DONNELL, COMMISSIONER

Source-published biography

Tony’s Statement on serving as a Montana Public Commissioner:

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Tony’s Statement on serving as a Montana Public Commissioner:

WHAT'S TRENDING

Candidate-stated

LATEST NEWS-Governor Appoints Former Commissioner Kirk Bushman As Interim PSC Commissioner For District 2 08/26/2026 Governor Greg Gianforte today announced the temporary appointment of Kirk Bushman of Billings to serve as Commissioner of District 2 on the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC), effective immediately.

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LATEST NEWS-Governor Appoints Former Commissioner Kirk Bushman As Interim PSC Commissioner For District 2 08/26/2026 Governor Greg Gianforte today announced the temporary appointment of Kirk Bushman of Billings to serve as Commissioner of District 2 on the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC), effective immediately.

Contact My Commissioner?

Candidate-stated

Commissioners are elected to 4 year terms from 5 geographic districts across Montana. To view a map of the districts, read commissioner bios, and contact your representative on the Public Service Commission, visit the Commissioners page.

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Commissioners are elected to 4 year terms from 5 geographic districts across Montana. To view a map of the districts, read commissioner bios, and contact your representative on the Public Service Commission, visit the Commissioners page.

Positions and priorities

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Each summary is supported by the candidate's own words from a campaign source, direct candidate response, or official primary record retained with the profile.

RANDY PINOCCI, COMMISSIONER

Candidate position

"I am a husband and a father first. Actively serving in my community has always been a passion of mine because all families face the same issues. The Public Service Commission is currently addressing concerns that will affect Montanans for generations to come, and I know it is important to have problem solvers that will not just get the job done, but will study complex issues, ask tough questions, and come up with next-generation solutions. I want Montanans to know that my door and my mind are open to all possible solutions, and those solutions come when we work together to do the job right."

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"I am a husband and a father first. Actively serving in my community has always been a passion of mine because all families face the same issues. The Public Service Commission is currently addressing concerns that will affect Montanans for generations to come, and I know it is important to have problem solvers that will not just get the job done, but will study complex issues, ask tough questions, and come up with next-generation solutions. I want Montanans to know that my door and my mind are open to all possible solutions, and those solutions come when we work together to do the job right."

HOW UTILITY RATES ARE SET

Candidate position
Policy

There is a major difference between the PSC and the banker, however. The banker would be pleased if a loan applicant could make very high profits. By law, the PSC must allow only those profits that are just and reasonable. In other words, the PSC must allow utilities an opportunity to earn just enough profit so that utility owners will have the incentive to provide adequate service to customers. No more, no less. It is this public interest protection that makes the PSC unique.

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There is a major difference between the PSC and the banker, however. The banker would be pleased if a loan applicant could make very high profits. By law, the PSC must allow only those profits that are just and reasonable. In other words, the PSC must allow utilities an opportunity to earn just enough profit so that utility owners will have the incentive to provide adequate service to customers. No more, no less. It is this public interest protection that makes the PSC unique.

Keep Utility Service Affordable

Candidate position
FactVote summary · Goal / Priority

Prioritizes maintaining affordable access to electricity, water, and other state-regulated utilities.

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Keep Utility Service Affordable

Protect Reliable Utility Service

Candidate position
FactVote summary · Goal / Priority

Prioritizes reliable electric and utility service and avoiding policies she believes could threaten dependable access.

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Protect Reliable Utility Service

Evidence-Based and Fair Utility Regulation

Candidate position
FactVote summary · Belief

Supports Commission decisions based on facts, evidence, reason, research, fairness, and the PSC's legal jurisdiction.

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Evidence-Based and Fair Utility Regulation

Public record

Public-record research limitation

Public-record research limitation

This does not mean the candidate has no prior public service or record. A record attaches only after authoritative office history and a stable provider identity are established; names, titles, attendance, sponsorship, and inferred responsibility are insufficient.

Campaign finance

Official filings may be amended after publication.

Current campaign-finance summary unavailable

Montana's official CERS search is linked. No amount attaches until one exact candidate or committee identity, compatible 2026 election, reporting period, and amendment state are captured. Missing values are not zero.

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Research boundary

Claims that did not clear the publication standard remain visibly excluded.

Complete person-level public-action archive

Not published

Reason: NO_STABLE_ELIGIBLE_PUBLIC_RECORD_IDENTITY_ATTACHED

Names and candidate-stated prior service alone never attach another person's records.

Sources

Every profile claim points back to retained source evidence.

  1. Election record

    2026 Montana general-election candidate record — Annie Bukacek

    Montana Secretary of State

    Open Montana Secretary of State
  2. Candidate-owned primary source

    Annie Bukacek — candidate-owned primary source 1

    Annie Bukacek campaign

    Open Annie Bukacek campaign
  3. GOVERNMENT_CURRENT_OFFICE_IDENTITY

    Annie Bukacek — current Montana public office

    Montana Public Service Commission

    Open Montana Public Service Commission
  4. GOVERNMENT_CAMPAIGN_FINANCE_SEARCH

    Annie Bukacek — Montana campaign-finance disclosure search

    Montana Commissioner of Political Practices

    Open Montana Commissioner of Political Practices
  5. Candidate-provided

    Annie Bukacek campaign source 1

    Annie Bukacek campaign

    Open Annie Bukacek campaign
  6. Candidate-provided

    Annie Bukacek campaign source 6

    Annie Bukacek campaign

    Open Annie Bukacek campaign
  7. Candidate-provided

    Annie Bukacek campaign source 3

    Annie Bukacek campaign

    Open Annie Bukacek campaign
  8. Candidate-owned primary source

    Annie Bukacek — Campaign Platform

    Annie Bukacek campaign

    Open Annie Bukacek campaign
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