2020 North Dakota elections

2020 North Dakota elections
Registered	581,379
Turnout	62.65%

North Dakota 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 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]

Primary election

On Tuesday, June 9, North Dakota voters selected which candidates for statewide and legislative office would 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 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 had yet to announce plans for selecting delegates to the Republican National Convention.^[3]

General election

On Tuesday, November 3, concurrent with other statewide elections across the United States, North Dakota voters selected 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 lived in even-numbered legislative districts also selected 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 selected a presidential candidate on their ballots; the candidate with the most votes would 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 would send three electors.^[4]

United States Representative

Freshman incumbent Republican Kelly Armstrong ran for re-election.

2020 North Dakota's at-large congressional district election^[5]
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.

2020 North Dakota gubernatorial election^[5]
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.

2020 North Dakota State Treasurer election^[5]
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^[a]	Margin of error	Josh Gallion (R)	Patrick Hart (D)	Undecided
DFM Research/North Dakota Voters First^[8]	September 12–16, 2020	500 (LV)	± 4.5%	42%	26%	32%

Result

2020 North Dakota State Auditor election^[5]
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.

2020 North Dakota Insurance Commissioner election^[5]
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, a registered Republican, ran for re-election.

2020 North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction election^[5]
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.

2020 North Dakota Public Service Commission election^[5]
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.

2020 North Dakota Supreme Court election^[5]
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 were up for election.^[9] Voters in all even-numbered districts saw those races on their ballots. The outcome of this election could affect partisan balance during post-census redistricting.^[10]

Among the candidates for the North Dakota House, Republican candidate David Andahl, who died due to COVID-19 in October 2020, eventually won a seat in the North Dakota House of Representatives.^[11]^[12]^[13]

Measures

Voters faced 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^[a]	Margin of error	For Measure 1	Against Measure 1	Undecided
DFM Research/North Dakota Voters First^[8]	September 12–16, 2020	500 (LV)	± 4.5%	32%	46%	22%

Result

Constitutional Measure No. 1
Relating to the state board of higher education
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: ^[14]

Measure 2

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size^[a]	Margin of error	For Measure 2	Against Measure 2	Undecided
DFM Research/North Dakota Voters First^[8]	September 12–16, 2020	500 (LV)	± 4.5%	33%	39%	28%

Result

Constitutional Measure No. 2
Relating to initiated constitutional amendments
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: ^[14]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear

Partisan clients

References

^ ^a ^b "Statewide Turnout". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "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.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "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.
^ ^a ^b ^c DFM Research/North Dakota Voters First
^ "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.
^ ^a ^b "Statewide Measure Results". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020.

External links

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

[key-8] Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear

[turnout-1] "Statewide Turnout". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020.

[election-laws-2] "North Dakota Election Laws" (PDF). North Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 8, 2019.

[3] Putnam, Josh (January 18, 2019). "The 2020 Presidential Primary Calendar". Frontloading HQ. Retrieved June 13, 2019.

[4] "Distribution of Electoral Votes". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved January 3, 2019.

[results-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Statewide Election Results". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020.

[6] Jack Dura (December 10, 2019), "North Dakota State Treasurer Kelly Schmidt won't seek reelection in 2020", Bismarck Tribune, retrieved December 9, 2020

[7] "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.

[scribd.com-9] DFM Research/North Dakota Voters First

[10] "North Dakota elections, 2020". Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved October 10, 2020.

[11] 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

[12] Garger, Kenneth (November 4, 2020). "North Dakota state legislative candidate who died of COVID-19 wins election". New York Post. Retrieved November 4, 2020.

[13] "North Dakota legislature candidate who died from COVID-19 wins election". FOX 9. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.

[14] 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.

[measure-15] "Statewide Measure Results". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020.

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