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North Dakota state executive official elections, 2020

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2022
2018
North Dakota state executive official elections
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Election details
Filing deadline: April 6, 2020
Primary: June 9, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
How to vote
Poll times: Open between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.; close between 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Voting in North Dakota
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2020
Impact of term limits in 2020
State government trifectas and triplexes
Other state executive elections

Seven state executive offices were up for election in North Dakota in 2020:

Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Treasurer
State Auditor
Commissioner of Insurance
Public Service Commissioner
Superintendent of Public Instruction

Candidates and election results

Governor

General election

General election for Governor of North Dakota

The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of North Dakota on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum (R)
 
65.8
 
235,629
Image of Shelley Lenz
Shelley Lenz (D)
 
25.4
 
90,925
Image of DuWayne Hendrickson
DuWayne Hendrickson (L)
 
3.9
 
13,833
Image of Michael Coachman
Michael Coachman (Independent) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
0
Bruce Moe (Independent) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
0
Jamie Brager (Independent) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
0
 Other/Write-in votes
 
4.9
 
17,472

Total votes: 357,859
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of North Dakota

Shelley Lenz advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of North Dakota on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Shelley Lenz
Shelley Lenz
 
99.3
 
34,501
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.7
 
231

Total votes: 34,732
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of North Dakota

Incumbent Doug Burgum defeated Michael Coachman in the Republican primary for Governor of North Dakota on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum
 
89.5
 
96,119
Image of Michael Coachman
Michael Coachman
 
10.2
 
10,904
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
356

Total votes: 107,379
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Governor of North Dakota

DuWayne Hendrickson advanced from the Libertarian primary for Governor of North Dakota on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of DuWayne Hendrickson
DuWayne Hendrickson
 
77.6
 
705
 Other/Write-in votes
 
22.4
 
203

Total votes: 908
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Lieutenant Governor

General election

General election for Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota

Incumbent Brent Sanford defeated Ben Vig and Joshua Voytek in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Brent Sanford
Brent Sanford (R)
 
65.8
 
235,629
Image of Ben Vig
Ben Vig (D)
 
25.4
 
90,925
Image of Joshua Voytek
Joshua Voytek (L)
 
3.9
 
13,833
 Other/Write-in votes
 
4.9
 
17,472

Total votes: 357,859
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota

Ben Vig advanced from the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ben Vig
Ben Vig
 
99.3
 
34,501
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.7
 
231

Total votes: 34,732
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota

Incumbent Brent Sanford defeated Joel Hylden in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Brent Sanford
Brent Sanford
 
89.5
 
96,119
Joel Hylden
 
10.2
 
10,904
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
356

Total votes: 107,379
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota

Joshua Voytek advanced from the Libertarian primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Joshua Voytek
Joshua Voytek
 
77.6
 
705
 Other/Write-in votes
 
22.4
 
203

Total votes: 908
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Treasurer

General election

General election for North Dakota Treasurer

Thomas Beadle defeated Mark Haugen in the general election for North Dakota Treasurer on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Thomas Beadle
Thomas Beadle (R)
 
65.6
 
227,583
Image of Mark Haugen
Mark Haugen (D)
 
34.0
 
117,790
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
1,533

Total votes: 346,906
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for North Dakota Treasurer

Mark Haugen advanced from the Democratic primary for North Dakota Treasurer on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Mark Haugen
Mark Haugen
 
99.5
 
34,750
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.5
 
169

Total votes: 34,919
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for North Dakota Treasurer

Thomas Beadle defeated Daniel Johnston in the Republican primary for North Dakota Treasurer on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Thomas Beadle
Thomas Beadle
 
52.4
 
52,039
Image of Daniel Johnston
Daniel Johnston
 
47.3
 
46,987
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
275

Total votes: 99,301
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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State Auditor

General election

General election for North Dakota State Auditor

Incumbent Josh Gallion defeated Patrick Hart in the general election for North Dakota State Auditor on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Josh Gallion
Josh Gallion (R)
 
67.7
 
234,293
Image of Patrick Hart
Patrick Hart (D) Candidate Connection
 
32.1
 
111,243
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
579

Total votes: 346,115
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for North Dakota State Auditor

Patrick Hart advanced from the Democratic primary for North Dakota State Auditor on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Patrick Hart
Patrick Hart Candidate Connection
 
99.4
 
34,460
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.6
 
211

Total votes: 34,671
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for North Dakota State Auditor

Incumbent Josh Gallion advanced from the Republican primary for North Dakota State Auditor on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Josh Gallion
Josh Gallion
 
99.6
 
94,916
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
423

Total votes: 95,339
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Commissioner of Insurance

General election

General election for North Dakota Commissioner of Insurance

Incumbent Jon Godfread won election in the general election for North Dakota Commissioner of Insurance on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jon Godfread
Jon Godfread (R)
 
97.7
 
295,095
 Other/Write-in votes
 
2.3
 
6,813

Total votes: 301,908
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for North Dakota Commissioner of Insurance

Travisia Martin advanced from the Democratic primary for North Dakota Commissioner of Insurance on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Travisia Martin
 
99.6
 
34,277
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
148

Total votes: 34,425
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for North Dakota Commissioner of Insurance

Incumbent Jon Godfread advanced from the Republican primary for North Dakota Commissioner of Insurance on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jon Godfread
Jon Godfread
 
99.7
 
96,112
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
314

Total votes: 96,426
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Public Service Commissioner

General election

General election for North Dakota Public Service Commission

Incumbent Brian Kroshus defeated Casey D. Buchmann in the general election for North Dakota Public Service Commission on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Brian Kroshus
Brian Kroshus (R)
 
67.6
 
231,898
Casey D. Buchmann (D)
 
32.2
 
110,493
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
552

Total votes: 342,943
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for North Dakota Public Service Commission

Casey D. Buchmann advanced from the Democratic primary for North Dakota Public Service Commission on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Casey D. Buchmann
 
99.5
 
34,385
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.5
 
158

Total votes: 34,543
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for North Dakota Public Service Commission

Incumbent Brian Kroshus advanced from the Republican primary for North Dakota Public Service Commission on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Brian Kroshus
Brian Kroshus
 
99.7
 
95,568
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
257

Total votes: 95,825
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Superintendent of Public Instruction

General election

General election for North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Kirsten Baesler defeated Brandt Dick and Charles Tuttle in the general election for North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kirsten Baesler
Kirsten Baesler (Nonpartisan)
 
59.1
 
192,835
Image of Brandt Dick
Brandt Dick (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
39.9
 
130,280
Image of Charles Tuttle
Charles Tuttle (Nonpartisan) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
0
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.9
 
3,005

Total votes: 326,120
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Kirsten Baesler and Brandt Dick defeated Charles Tuttle in the primary for North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction on June 9, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kirsten Baesler
Kirsten Baesler (Nonpartisan)
 
54.2
 
76,987
Image of Brandt Dick
Brandt Dick (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
25.8
 
36,733
Image of Charles Tuttle
Charles Tuttle (Nonpartisan)
 
19.7
 
27,929
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
456

Total votes: 142,105
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Context of the 2020 elections

Party control in North Dakota

North Dakota Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas  •  Thirty-one years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Voter information

How the primary works

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.[1][2]

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

Poll 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.[3][4]

Registration requirements

Check your voter information here.

North Dakota is the only state that does not require voter registration.[5][6]

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.[5][7]

—North Dakota Secretary of State

Voter ID requirements

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.[8]

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."[8]


Early voting

North Dakota law permits counties to establish early voting.[9] 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.[10] 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 voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in North Dakota. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[2][11]

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.[11][12]

Past elections

2018

The following elections took place in 2018:

See also

North Dakota State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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North Dakota State Executive Offices
North Dakota State Legislature
North Dakota Courts
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North Dakota elections: 2025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes