2020_North_Dakota_elections
North Dakota has held two statewide elections in 2020: a primary election on Tuesday, June 9, and a general election on Tuesday, November 3. In addition, each township has elected officers on Tuesday, March 17, and each school district held their elections on a date of their choosing between April 1 and June 30.[2]
On Tuesday, June 9, North Dakota voters will select which candidates for statewide and legislative office will appear on the November ballot. Because North Dakota does not have party registration, any eligible voter may vote in any one party's primary election. In addition, any number of constitutional amendments, initiated measures, or referred measures may be placed on the ballot by petition or legislative action.[2]
The State of North Dakota does not provide for a presidential primary, but the Democratic–NPL Party has held a firehouse caucus on March 10, 2020, to select delegates to the Democratic National Convention. As of June 13, 2019[update], the Republican Party has yet to announce plans for selecting delegates to the Republican National Convention.[3]
On Tuesday, November 3, concurrent with other statewide elections across the United States, North Dakota voters will select three electors to the United States Electoral College to elect the President of the United States, one United States Representative to represent North Dakota's at-large congressional district, their Governor (alongside Lieutenant Governor), and a number of other statewide executive and judicial officials. Voters who live in even-numbered legislative districts will also select their representatives to the North Dakota House of Representatives and North Dakota Senate. Finally, voters may face any number of constitutional amendments, initiated measures, or referred measures placed on the ballot by petition.[2]
Federal offices
United States President
North Dakota voters will select a presidential candidate on their ballots; the candidate with the most votes will send their preselected electors to represent North Dakota in the Electoral College. The state of North Dakota has three electoral votes in the Electoral College, and so will send three electors.[4]
United States Representative
Freshman incumbent Republican Kelly Armstrong ran for re-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kelly Armstrong (incumbent) | 245,229 | 68.96% | |
| Democratic–NPL | Zach Raknerud | 97,970 | 27.55% | |
| Libertarian | Steven Peterson | 12,024 | 3.38% | |
| Write-in | 375 | 0.11% | ||
| Turnout | 355,598 | 61.16% | ||
State offices
Governor and lieutenant governor
Republican incumbent governor Doug Burgum and lieutenant governor Brent Sanford, both serving their first terms in statewide elected office, ran together for re-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Doug Burgum (incumbent) | 235,479 | 65.84% | |
| Democratic–NPL | Shelley Lenz | 90,789 | 25.38% | |
| Libertarian | DuWayne Hendrickson | 13,853 | 3.87% | |
| Write-in | 17,538 | 4.90% | ||
| Turnout | 357,659 | 61.52% | ||
State treasurer
Incumbent Republican Kelly Schmidt, the longest serving Treasurer in the state's history, announced she would not seek re-election in 2020.[6] In the primary, State Representative Thomas Beadle was elected to fill the open seat.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Thomas Beadle | 227,583 | 65.60% | |
| Democratic–NPL | Mark Haugen | 117,790 | 33.95% | |
| Write-in | 1,533 | 0.44% | ||
| Turnout | 346,906 | 59.67% | ||
State auditor
In the State Auditor race, incumbent Republican Josh Gallion, who provoked lawmakers' ire with his reviews in his first term, ran for re-election.[7]
- Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[lower-alpha 1] |
Margin of error |
Josh Gallion (R) |
Patrick Hart (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFM Research/North Dakota Voters First | September 12–16, 2020 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 42% | 26% | 32% |
- Result
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Josh Gallion (incumbent) | 234,293 | 67.69% | |
| Democratic–NPL | Patrick Hart | 111,243 | 32.14% | |
| Write-in | 579 | 0.17% | ||
| Turnout | 346,115 | 59.53% | ||
Insurance Commissioner
In the election for Insurance Commissioner, incumbent Republican Jon Godfread ran for re-election unopposed.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jon Godfread (incumbent) | 295,095 | 97.74% | |
| Write-in | 6,813 | 2.26% | ||
| Turnout | 301,908 | 51.93% | ||
Superintendent of Public Instruction
The election for Superintendent of Public Instruction in North Dakota is nonpartisan. Incumbent Kirsten Baesler, who is a registered Republican, ran for re-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Kirsten Baesler (incumbent) | 192,835 | 59.13% | |
| Nonpartisan | Brandt Dick | 130,280 | 39.95% | |
| Write-in | 3,005 | 0.92% | ||
| Turnout | 326,120 | 56.09% | ||
Public Service Commissioner
One of three seats in the state Public Service Commission went up for election. Incumbent Republican Brian Kroshus ran for re-election to a full six-year term.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Kroshus (incumbent) | 231,898 | 67.62% | |
| Democratic–NPL | Casey Buchmann | 110,493 | 32.22% | |
| Write-in | 552 | 0.16% | ||
| Turnout | 342,943 | 58.99% | ||
Justice of the Supreme Court
Chief Justice Jon J. Jensen ran unopposed in a nonpartisan election to a ten-year term.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Jon J. Jensen (incumbent) | 290,346 | 99.08% | |
| Write-in | 2,703 | 0.92% | ||
| Turnout | 293,049 | 50.41% | ||
State legislative races
23 seats in the North Dakota Senate and 47 seats in the North Dakota House of Representatives are up for election.[8] Voters in all even-numbered districts will see those races on their ballots. The outcome of this election could affect partisan balance during post-census redistricting.[9]
Among the candidates for the North Dakota House, Republican candidate David Andahl who died due to COVID-19 in October 2020 had eventually won a seat in the North Dakota House of Representatives.[10][11][12]
Measures
Voters will face any number of constitutional measures and statutes initiated or referred to the ballot by petition.[2]
Measure 1
- Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[lower-alpha 1] |
Margin of error |
For Measure 1 |
Against Measure 1 |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFM Research/North Dakota Voters First | September 12–16, 2020 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 32% | 46% | 22% |
- Result
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 No |
242,004 | 72.52 |
| Yes | 91,706 | 27.48 |
| Total votes | 333,710 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 581,379 | 57.40 |
| Source: [13] | ||
Measure 2
- Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[lower-alpha 1] |
Margin of error |
For Measure 2 |
Against Measure 2 |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFM Research/North Dakota Voters First | September 12–16, 2020 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 33% | 39% | 28% |
- Result
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| No |
201,343 | 61.61 |
| Yes | 125,460 | 38.39 |
| Total votes | 326,803 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 581,379 | 56.21 |
| Source: [13] | ||
- Partisan clients
- "Statewide Turnout". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020.
- "North Dakota Election Laws" (PDF). North Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- Putnam, Josh (January 18, 2019). "The 2020 Presidential Primary Calendar". Frontloading HQ. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- "Distribution of Electoral Votes". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
- "Statewide Election Results". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020.
- Jack Dura (December 10, 2019), "North Dakota State Treasurer Kelly Schmidt won't seek reelection in 2020", Bismarck Tribune, retrieved December 9, 2020
- "Josh Gallion to seek second term as North Dakota auditor". The Bismarck Tribune. Associated Press. October 9, 2019. Archived from the original on October 9, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- "North Dakota elections, 2020". Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
- Wendy Underhill; Ben Williams (December 4, 2019), "Election Dates for Legislators and Governors Who Will Do Redistricting", Ncsl.org, Washington, D.C.: National Conference of State Legislatures
- Garger, Kenneth (November 4, 2020). "North Dakota state legislative candidate who died of COVID-19 wins election". New York Post. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- "North Dakota legislature candidate who died from COVID-19 wins election". FOX 9. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- Vigdor, Neil (October 7, 2020). "A North Dakota candidate who died of Covid-19 remains on the ballot". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- "Statewide Measure Results". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020.
- Vote.ND.gov, the official North Dakota Secretary of State election information portal
- Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association, "North Dakota", Voting & Elections Toolkits
- "North Dakota: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links", Vote.org, Oakland, CA
- "League of Women Voters of North Dakota". (State affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)
- North Dakota at Ballotpedia