Election Administration In North Dakota
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.
Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in North Dakota:
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Poll times[edit]
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In North Dakota, voting hours at polling locations vary by county. According to statute, all polls must open between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. local time, and they must close between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. North Dakota is divided between the Central and Mountain time zones. Hours for specific polling places are available online through the state's Polling Place Search. A voter who is standing in line at the time the polls close will be allowed to vote.[2][3]
Voter registration[edit]
- Check your voter information here.
North Dakota is the only state that does not require voter registration.[4][5]
| “ | Although North Dakota was one of the first states to adopt voter registration prior to the turn of the century, it abolished it in 1951. It is also worth noting that North Dakota law still provides cities with the ability to register voters for city elections.
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| —North Dakota Secretary of State | ||
Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy[edit]
Early voting[edit]
- See also: Early voting
North Dakota law permits counties to establish early voting.[7] As of October 2024, seven of North Dakota's 53 counties offered early voting. Together, these counties contained 76 of the state's 175 Election Day polling places.[8] Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting[edit]
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in North Dakota. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[9][10]
There is no specific deadline for applying for an absentee ballot. The completed ballot must be received by the appropriate election official by the close of polls on Election Day.[10][11]
Returning absentee/mail-in ballots[edit]
- See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state
Voters in North Dakota can return an absentee/mail-in ballot in person or by mail. As of August 1, 2025, the deadline to return a ballot is the close of polls on Election Day.[11]
Voters have the option to authorize, in writing, an agent to assist them in acquiring and returning their ballot.[9][10]
North Dakota law states the following:
| “ | The auditor or business manager of the school district, as the case may be, may not provide an absent voter's ballot to a person acting as an agent who cannot provide a signed, written authorization from an applicant. No person may receive compensation, including money, goods, or services, for acting as an agent for an elector, nor may a person act as an agent for more than four electors in any one election. A voter voting by absentee ballot may not require the political subdivision providing the ballot to bear the expense of the return postage for an absentee ballot.[9][6] | ” |
Twenty states allow anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allow anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allow only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Eight states and D.C. do not specify who may return ballots.
Signature requirements and cure provisions[edit]
In North Dakota, voters must sign an affidavit printed on their ballot’s return envelope. Election clerks and board members of the polling place compare the signature on the affidavit to the signature on the absentee/mail-in ballot application for the purpose of verification. If they do not correspond or the affidavit is found to be inadequate, the ballot is rejected. North Dakota law does include a cure provision, or a law allowing voters to correct an issue with the signature on their absentee/mail-in ballot.
North Dakota law says, "the election official shall notify the absent voter the signatures do not appear to match," and that a verification curing the mismatched signature "must be completed by the absent voter before close of the meeting of the canvassing board occurring thirteen days after the election."[9]
Thirty-three states have laws that include cure provisions, while 17 states do not. One state, Pennsylvania, allows counties to establish a cure process.
Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?[edit]
Use the Absentee Ballot Search tool provided by the North Dakota Secretary of State to check the status of your absentee/mail-in ballot.
Voter identification requirements[edit]
- See also: Voter ID in North Dakota
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
North Dakota requires voters to present identification while voting. Identification must include the voter’s name, current North Dakota residential address, and date of birth.[12]
The following are acceptable forms of voter identification as of October 2025. Click here for the North Dakota Secretary of State page on accepted ID for the most current information.
- Driver’s license
- Nondriver’s identification card
- Tribal government-issued identification (including those issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for a tribe located in North Dakota, any other tribal agency or entity, or any other document that sets forth the tribal member’s name, date of birth, and current North Dakota residential address)
- Long-term care identification certificate (provided by North Dakota facility)
If a voter does not have a form of identification that includes his or her current North Dakota residential address or date of birth, the voter can present the following supplemental documents:
- Current utility bill
- Current bank statement
- Check or a document issued by a federal, state, local, or tribal government (including those issued by BIA for a tribe located in North Dakota, any other tribal agency or entity, or any other document that sets forth the tribal member’s name, date of birth, and current North Dakota residential address)
- Paycheck
- Student photo ID card from a North Dakota institution containing the student's photograph and legal name. A printed document on school letterhead containing the student’s name, address, and date of birth must also be presented.
- North Dakota residents living outside of the United States can submit a U.S. Passport or Military ID if they do not have another valid form of identification.
According to the secretary of state's office, an absentee ballot applicant "without an acceptable form of ID may use an attester." The attester "must provide name, valid ID number and sign the absentee or mail ballot application attesting the applicant's ND residency or voting eligibility."[12]
Click here to learn more about the background of North Dakota's law.
Thirty-six states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 14 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.
Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.
Provisional balloting for voters without ID[edit]
Voters who do not show proper identification can cast a provisional ballot, called a "set-aside ballot." See below for provisional ballot rules.
Provisional ballot rules[edit]
Voters in North Dakota are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, if a court order is issued to extend polling hours or if they are unable to provide proper identification.[13][14][15]
The voter must present a driver’s license, non-driver ID, tribal ID or documentation, long-term care certificate, or supplemental identification within 13 days of the election for their set-aside ballot to be counted. A voter can present their updated ID in person or electronically.[13]
Local election officials[edit]
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Primary election type[edit]
- See also: Primary elections in North Dakota
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. A primary election is also sometimes used to choose convention delegates and party leaders; however, these selection processes can vary from state to state and party to party within a state. In North Dakota, precinct, district, and state party officials are selected at party caucuses and conventions, not at the state-administered primary election. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. North Dakota utilizes an open primary system, in which voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[16][17]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Time off work for voting[edit]
In North Dakota, employers are encouraged, but not required, to grant time off for eligible employees to vote:
| “ | It is the policy of this state to encourage voting by all eligible voters at all statewide special, primary, or general elections. To this end, employers are encouraged to establish a program to grant an employee who is a qualified voter to be absent from the employee's employment for the purpose of voting when an employee's regular work schedule conflicts with voting during time when polls are open.[18][6] | ” |
Twenty-eight states require employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies vary as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]
- See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony
In North Dakota, individuals serving time in prison because of a felony conviction do not have a right to vote. Voting rights are automatically regained upon release from prison. Click here for more information regarding an incarcerated individual's rights in North Dakota.
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[19]
Post-election auditing[edit]
North Dakota state law requires post-election audits. After statewide primary, general, and special election, the secretary of state orders an audit of one polling location in each county chosen at random. The audit begins on the sixth day after the election and must conclude by the eighth day after the election. The county auditor must appoint an election board that is responsible for the audit. The audit must include one federal contest, one statewide contest, one legislative contest, and one county contest. If the board discovers a discrepancy between results from automated tabulating equipment and results of the post-election audit, then the secretary of state may order additional audits within the county.[20][21]
Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.[22][23]
Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.
Forty-six states and the District of Columbia require some form of post-election audit by law, excluding states with pilot programs. Of these, 39 states and the District of Columbia require traditional post-election audits, while three states require risk-limiting post-election audits, and three states require some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.[24][22]
Noteworthy events[edit]
New law requires voters to return absentee/mail-in ballots by the close of polls on Election Day (2025)[edit]
On April 28, 2025, Gov. Kelly Armstrong (R) signed HB 1165, creating a receipt deadline for voters to return absentee/mail-in ballots by the close of polls on Election Day. Previously, state law permitted election officials to count ballots postmarked by the day before Election Day and received after that were otherwise valid. The Republican-sponsored bill passed the North Dakota State Senate and North Dakota House of Representatives largely along party lines.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
The new law took effect on August 1, 2025.
Election policy ballot measures[edit]
- See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of North Dakota ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in North Dakota.
- North Dakota Partisan Elections Initiative (1921)
- North Dakota Non-partisan Election Initiative (1921)
- North Dakota Tax Commissioner Election Initiative (1938)
- North Dakota Secret Primary Ballot, Initiative 3 (1962)
- North Dakota Election of County Officers, Constitutional Measure 1 (2002)
- North Dakota Election of County Officials, Measure 2 (1998)
- North Dakota Legislative Assembly Vacancy Filling, Measure 4 (2000)
- North Dakota Filling of Judicial Vacancies, Measure 1 (1998)
- North Dakota Rules for Appointing Supreme Court Justices, Measure 2 (1990)
- North Dakota Federal Funds for Political Purposes Initiative (1936)
- North Dakota State and County Official Term Lengths, Initiative 5 (1964)
- North Dakota Residence Requirements of Electors Referendum (1920)
- North Dakota Electors Residence Requirements Referendum (1922)
- North Dakota Nonpartisan Elections Referendum (1924)
- North Dakota Date of Presidential Primary Election Referendum (1924)
- North Dakota Party Central Committees Referendum (1924)
- North Dakota County Officers to be Elected Referendum, Amendment 1 (1952)
- North Dakota County Official Term Lengths, Initiative 2 (1962)
- North Dakota Repeal Limits on Legislator Elections and Appointments, Referendum 3 (1962)
- North Dakota Repeal Limits on Legislator Elections and Appointments, Referendum 2 (1964)
- North Dakota Voter Pamphlet, Referendum 1 (1964)
- North Dakota New Residents Presidential Voting Referendum, Number 2 (1966)
- North Dakota Judicial Reform Referendum, Number 5 (1968)
- North Dakota Joint Governor and Lieutenant Ballot Referendum, Amendment 1 (1974)
- North Dakota Legislator Qualifications Referendum, Amendment 1 (1976)
- North Dakota Elective Franchise Referendum, Amendment 2 (1978)
- North Dakota Judicial Officers Referendum, Amendment 5 (1980)
- North Dakota Presidential Preference and June Primary Referendum, Measure 7 (1980)
- North Dakota Election Law Revision Referendum, Measure 8 (1980)
- North Dakota Future Governor and Lieutenant Governor Elections Referendum, Measure 4 (1982)
- North Dakota Tax Commissioner on Party Ballot Referendum, Measure 2 (1986)
- North Dakota State Legislative Term Limits and Ballot Instruction Measure, Measure 5 (1996)
- North Dakota Executive Branch Officer Election, Measure 2 (2000)
- North Dakota State Treasurer Not Elected, Measure 3 (2000)
- North Dakota Measure 1, Ethics Commission, Foreign Political Contribution Ban, and Conflicts of Interest Initiative (2018)
- North Dakota Initiated Measure 1, Congressional Age Limits Initiative (June 2024)
[edit]
The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in North Dakota. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia[edit]
Try Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation TrackerBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker provides daily updates on legislative activity related to election policy in all 50 states.
Our election policy experts translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries. And because it's from Ballotpedia, our legislation tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.Search bills
Read Ballotpedia's State of Election Administration Legislation ReportsBallotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state.
These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.Read the latest report
Subscribe to The Ballot BulletinThe Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy.
The newsletter tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker.Subscribe
Ballot access[edit]
- See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in North Dakota
In order to get on the ballot in North Dakota, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- An individual can run as a write-in candidate.
This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in North Dakota. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).
Redistricting[edit]
- See also: Redistricting in North Dakota
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. North Dakota's one United States Representative and 141 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[25][26][27][28]
North Dakota was apportioned 1 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census.
State process[edit]
- See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures
Because North Dakota has only one congressional district, congressional redistricting is not necessary. The state legislature draws state legislative district boundaries. State legislative district lines are subject to veto by the governor.[29]
The North Dakota Constitution requires that state legislative districts be "compact and contiguous."[29][30]
Election administration agencies[edit]
Election agencies[edit]
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in North Dakota can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
North Dakota County Election Officials
- Click here for a list
North Dakota Secretary of State, Elections Division
- 600 E. Boulevard Ave., 1st Floor, Dept. 108
- Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0500
- Phone: 701-328-2900
- Toll free: 800-352-0867
- Fax: 701-328-2992
- Email: soselect@nd.gov
- Website: https://www.sos.nd.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's election coverage[edit]
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
- State legislative Democratic primaries, 2026
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2026
See also[edit]
- State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
- Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
- Voting in North Dakota
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in North Dakota
- Redistricting in North Dakota
Elections in North Dakota[edit]
- North Dakota elections, 2025
- North Dakota elections, 2024
- North Dakota elections, 2023
- North Dakota elections, 2022
- North Dakota elections, 2021
- North Dakota elections, 2020
- North Dakota elections, 2019
- North Dakota elections, 2018
- North Dakota elections, 2017
- North Dakota elections, 2016
- North Dakota elections, 2015
- North Dakota elections, 2014
External links[edit]
- North Dakota Secretary of State - Elections
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "Q: What are voting hours in North Dakota?" accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "2023 North Dakota Century Code, 16.1-01-03. Opening and closing of the polls," accessed August 14, 2024
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, “North Dakota….The Only State Without Voter Registration,” accessed April 24, 2023
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, “Voter Registration in North Dakota,” accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ North Dakota Century Code, "CHAPTER 16.1-07 ABSENT VOTERS' BALLOTS AND ABSENTEE VOTING," accessed June 24, 2024
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "Early Voting Available Counties," accessed October 28, 2024
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Justia, "2023 North Dakota Century Code, CHAPTER 16.1-07ABSENT VOTERS' BALLOTS AND ABSENTEE VOTING," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 North Dakota Secretary of State, "North Dakota Residents Choosing to Vote Absentee or by Mail," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 North Dakota Legislative Branch, "Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly House Bill 1165," accessed May 1, 2025
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, "ID Requirements for Voting," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, "Forms of Voter ID," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑ North Dakota Legislature, "16.1-13-34. Voters casting ballots after regular poll closings - Provisional ballots," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Provisional Ballots," October 8, 2025
- ↑ North Dakota Legislative Assembly, "N.D. Cent. Code § 16.1–11–22," accessed September 15, 2025
- ↑ North Dakota Legislative Assembly, "N.D. Cent. Code § 16.1-01-06," accessed September 15, 2025
- ↑ North Dakota Legislative Branch, "TITLE 16.1 ELECTIONS," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
- ↑ North Dakota Legislative Branch, "SB 2175," accessed April 2, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 2, 2025
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 2, 2025
- ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed July 2, 2025
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 All About Redistricting, 'North Dakota," accessed April 22, 2015
- ↑ North Dakota Constitution, "Article IV, Section 2," accessed April 22, 2015
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