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Election administration in North Dakota

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Election Information
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Time off work for voting
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Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its election administration.

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.

THE BASICS
  • North Dakota is the only state without a system of voter registration.
  • North Dakota permits early voting and no-excuse absentee/mail-in voting.
  • In North Dakota, polls must open between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and close between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
  • North Dakota requires identification to vote.
  • North Dakota holds open primary elections.
  • North Dakota has an online tool for checking the status of absentee/mail-in ballots.


    • Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in North Dakota:

    Poll times

    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

    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.


    North Dakota is a rural state and its communities maintain close ties and networks. North Dakota's system of voting, and lack of voter registration, is rooted in its rural character by providing small precincts. Establishing relatively small precincts is intended to ensure that election boards know the voters who come to the polls to vote on Election Day and can easily detect those who should not be voting in the precinct.[4][6]

    		”
    —North Dakota Secretary of State


    Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy

    Early voting

    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

    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

    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

    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?

    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

    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]

    Acceptable forms of voter identification include:

    • 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 applicant without an acceptable form of identification may use an attester. The attester must provide his or her name, North Dakota driver’s license, nondriver’s, or tribal identification number, and sign the absentee/mail ballot application form to attest to the applicant’s North Dakota residency and voting eligibility."[12]

    Voters who cast absentee/mail-in ballot must include a valid form of identification with their ballot. A voter who has a disability that prevents them from leaving his or her home and is unable to obtain a valid form of identification "must provide his or her name, North Dakota driver’s license, nondriver’s, or tribal identification number, and sign the absentee/mail ballot application form to attest to the applicant’s North Dakota residency and 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

    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

    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. 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 online.[12][13][14]

    Local election officials

    U.S. Vote Foundation Logo.jpeg

    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

    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.[15][9]

    For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

    Time off work for voting

    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.[16][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

    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.[17]

    Post-election auditing

    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.[18][19]

    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.[20][21]

    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.[22][20]

    Noteworthy events

    New law requires voters to return absentee/mail-in ballots by the close of polls on Election Day (2025)

    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

    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.

    1. North Dakota Partisan Elections Initiative (1921)
    2. North Dakota Non-partisan Election Initiative (1921)
    3. North Dakota Tax Commissioner Election Initiative (1938)
    4. North Dakota Secret Primary Ballot, Initiative 3 (1962)
    5. North Dakota Election of County Officers, Constitutional Measure 1 (2002)
    6. North Dakota Election of County Officials, Measure 2 (1998)
    7. North Dakota Legislative Assembly Vacancy Filling, Measure 4 (2000)
    8. North Dakota Filling of Judicial Vacancies, Measure 1 (1998)
    9. North Dakota Rules for Appointing Supreme Court Justices, Measure 2 (1990)
    10. North Dakota Federal Funds for Political Purposes Initiative (1936)
    11. North Dakota State and County Official Term Lengths, Initiative 5 (1964)
    12. North Dakota Residence Requirements of Electors Referendum (1920)
    13. North Dakota Electors Residence Requirements Referendum (1922)
    14. North Dakota Nonpartisan Elections Referendum (1924)
    15. North Dakota Date of Presidential Primary Election Referendum (1924)
    16. North Dakota Party Central Committees Referendum (1924)
    17. North Dakota County Officers to be Elected Referendum, Amendment 1 (1952)
    18. North Dakota County Official Term Lengths, Initiative 2 (1962)
    19. North Dakota Repeal Limits on Legislator Elections and Appointments, Referendum 3 (1962)
    20. North Dakota Repeal Limits on Legislator Elections and Appointments, Referendum 2 (1964)
    21. North Dakota Voter Pamphlet, Referendum 1 (1964)
    22. North Dakota New Residents Presidential Voting Referendum, Number 2 (1966)
    23. North Dakota Judicial Reform Referendum, Number 5 (1968)
    24. North Dakota Joint Governor and Lieutenant Ballot Referendum, Amendment 1 (1974)
    25. North Dakota Legislator Qualifications Referendum, Amendment 1 (1976)
    26. North Dakota Elective Franchise Referendum, Amendment 2 (1978)
    27. North Dakota Judicial Officers Referendum, Amendment 5 (1980)
    28. North Dakota Presidential Preference and June Primary Referendum, Measure 7 (1980)
    29. North Dakota Election Law Revision Referendum, Measure 8 (1980)
    30. North Dakota Future Governor and Lieutenant Governor Elections Referendum, Measure 4 (1982)
    31. North Dakota Tax Commissioner on Party Ballot Referendum, Measure 2 (1986)
    32. North Dakota State Legislative Term Limits and Ballot Instruction Measure, Measure 5 (1996)
    33. North Dakota Executive Branch Officer Election, Measure 2 (2000)
    34. North Dakota State Treasurer Not Elected, Measure 3 (2000)
    35. North Dakota Measure 1, Ethics Commission, Foreign Political Contribution Ban, and Conflicts of Interest Initiative (2018)
    36. North Dakota Initiated Measure 1, Congressional Age Limits Initiative (June 2024)


    Recent legislation related to election administration in North Dakota

    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

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    Ballot access

    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.

    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, 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

    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.[23][24][25][26]

    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.

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • Following the 2020 United States Census, North Dakota was apportioned one congressional seat, which was unchanged from the number it had after the 2010 census.
  • North Dakota comprises 47 legislative districts. Each district elects one senator and two representatives.
  • Because North Dakota is home to only one U.S. House district, congressional redistricting is not necessary. The state legislature is responsible for drawing state legislative district lines.

    • State process

    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.[27]

    The North Dakota Constitution requires that state legislative districts be "compact and contiguous."[27][28]


    Election administration agencies

    Election agencies

    Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
    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

    Click the tiles below to navigate to 2025 election coverage:


    Democratic primaries 2026
    Republican primaries 2026

    See also

    Elections in North Dakota


    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 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."
    2. ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "Q: What are voting hours in North Dakota?" accessed August 12, 2024
    3. ↑ Justia, "2023 North Dakota Century Code, 16.1-01-03. Opening and closing of the polls," accessed August 14, 2024
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, “North Dakota….The Only State Without Voter Registration,” accessed April 24, 2023
    5. ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, “Voter Registration in North Dakota,” accessed August 12, 2024
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    7. ↑ North Dakota Century Code, "CHAPTER 16.1-07 ABSENT VOTERS' BALLOTS AND ABSENTEE VOTING," accessed June 24, 2024
    8. ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "Early Voting Available Counties," accessed October 28, 2024
    9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Justia, "2023 North Dakota Century Code, CHAPTER 16.1-07ABSENT VOTERS' BALLOTS AND ABSENTEE VOTING," accessed August 12, 2024 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "absentee" defined multiple times with different content
    10. ↑ 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. ↑ 11.0 11.1 North Dakota Legislative Branch, "Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly House Bill 1165," accessed May 1, 2025
    12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 North Dakota Secretary of State, "ID Requirements for Voting," accessed August 12, 2024
    13. ↑ North Dakota Legislature, "North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 16.1-13 General Elections," accessed August 12, 2024
    14. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Provisional Ballots," August 12, 2024
    15. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 12, 2024
    16. ↑ North Dakota Legislative Branch, "TITLE 16.1 ELECTIONS," accessed August 12, 2024
    17. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
    18. ↑ North Dakota Legislative Branch, "SB 2175," accessed April 2, 2025
    19. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 2, 2025
    20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 2, 2025
    21. ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed July 2, 2025
    22. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
    23. ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
    24. ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
    25. ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
    26. ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
    27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 All About Redistricting, 'North Dakota," accessed April 22, 2015
    28. ↑ North Dakota Constitution, "Article IV, Section 2," accessed April 22, 2015
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