Ballot access requirements for political candidates in North Dakota

in North Dakota

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Note: This article is not intended to serve as an exhaustive guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact their state election agencies for further information.

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.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. 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, see "Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in North Dakota." 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).

See state election laws

Year-specific filing information[edit]

2022[edit]

U.S. Senate[edit]

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in North Dakota in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in North Dakota, click here.

U.S. House[edit]

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in North Dakota in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in North Dakota, click here.

For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

Process to become a candidate[edit]

Petition/certificate of nomination form, 2013

For party candidates[edit]

See statutes: Chapter 16.1-11, Section 6 of the North Dakota Century Code

A candidate seeking the nomination of a recognized political party can submit a petition/certificate of nomination, an affidavit of candidacy, and a statement of interests in order to have his or her name printed on the primary ballot. A petition/certificate of nomination must include the following information:^[2]

• the candidate's name, post office address, and telephone number
• the title of the office being sought
• the name of the party the candidate seeks to represent

For statewide partisan offices (including congressional offices), petitions must contain signatures equaling 3 percent of the total number of votes cast for the party's candidate for the same office in the last general election. No more than 300 signatures, however, may be required for such offices.^[2][3][4]

For state legislative offices, petitions must contain signatures equaling least 1 percent of the total resident population of the legislative district according to the most recent federal census.^[2]

In addition to petitions/certificates of nomination, candidates must also file affidavits of candidacy, which require basic information about the candidate. Any candidate for state executive or legislative office (excluding federal candidates) must also file a statement of interests, which details the candidate's sources of income and any businesses or organizations in which he or she has a financial or fiduciary responsibility.^[5][6][7]

Candidates for federal, statewide executive, or state legislative office must file the aforementioned paperwork with the North Dakota Secretary of State by 4:00 p.m. on the 64th day before the election.^{[2][1][8][9][10]}

Candidates can also be added to the primary ballot via an endorsement from the political party's convention. Former Republican Party state chair and national committeeman Curly Haugland has argued that the party convention process supersedes the primary process and that each party's general election candidate should be selected via the convention process with a vote from the party membership.^[11]

For independent candidates[edit]

See statutes: Chapter 16.1-12 of the North Dakota Century Code

Independent candidates petition for placement on the general election ballot. Like party candidates, an independent candidate must file a petition/certificate of nomination, an affidavit of candidacy, and a statement of interests. Signature requirements for independent candidates differ from those to which party candidates are held. Signature requirements for independent candidates are summarized in the table below.^[12]

Completed filing paperwork must be submitted to the North Dakota Secretary of State office by 4:00 p.m. on the 64th day before the general election.^{[1][8][9][10][13]}

For write-in candidates[edit]

In order to have his or her votes tallied, a write-in candidate for federal, statewide, or state legislative office must submit a certificate of write-in candidacy to the North Dakota Secretary of State. Certificates for federal and statewide candidates are due by 4:00 p.m. on the 21st day prior to the election. Certificates for state legislative candidates are due by 4:00 p.m. on the fourth day prior to the election. The certificate must include the candidate's name, address, and office being sought. Along with this form, the candidate must also submit a statement of interests (the same as that submitted by party and independent candidates).^{[8][9][10][14][15]}

Petition requirements[edit]

See also: Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

In some cases, candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain access to the ballot. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining to petitions and circulators in North Dakota.

Signature requirements[edit]

The North Dakota Secretary of State produces official petition forms for candidates. Only qualified electors of the state (or district, as may be the case) may sign petitions. A signer must include his or her signature, date of signing, complete residential address, and complete mailing address (if different from the residential address provided).^[16]

Circulation requirements[edit]

Primary election candidates may begin circulating petitions on January 1 of the election year and must file completed petitions by 4:00 p.m. on the 64th day prior to the election. Independent general election candidates may begin circulating petitions on the 150th day before the election and must file completed petitions by 4:00 p.m. on the 64th day prior to the election.^[16]

The relevant statutes do not stipulate any requirements (such as residency or pay status) that petition circulators must meet.

Election-related agencies[edit]

See also: State election agencies

North Dakota Secretary of State, Elections Division

600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 108, First Floor

Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0500

Telephone: 701-328-4146

Toll-free: 1-800-352-0867

Email: soselect@nd.gov

Website: http://www.nd.gov/sos/electvote/

Term limits[edit]

State executives[edit]

See also: State executives with term limits and States with gubernatorial term limits

There are no state executive offices with term limits in North Dakota.

State legislators[edit]

See also: State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits placed on North Dakota state legislators.

Congressional partisanship[edit]

See also: List of United States Representatives from North Dakota and List of United States Senators from North Dakota

The table below lists the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation from North Dakota.

State legislative partisanship[edit]

The tables below lists the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature of North Dakota.

North Dakota Senate[edit]

North Dakota House of Representatives[edit]

Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms North Dakota ballot access. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also[edit]

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in North Dakota
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in North Dakota
• North Dakota elections, 2020
• Campaign finance requirements in North Dakota
• Counties in North Dakota
• List of United States Representatives from North Dakota
• List of United States Senators from North Dakota
• Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
• State executives with term limits
• States with gubernatorial term limits
• State legislatures with term limits

External links[edit]

Official state and federal links[edit]

• North Dakota Secretary of State
• Official Website of the Federal Election Commission
• Information for candidates, from the North Dakota Secretary of State

Other information[edit]

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• ThirdPartyPolitics.us – Blog about American third party and independent politics
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives

Footnotes[edit]

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