North Dakota state legislative special elections, 2026

← 2025
2026 State Legislative Special Elections
Special Elections Information
Causes • Partisan control • Elections by date • Historical data
Special elections by state
Alabama • Arkansas • Colorado • Connecticut • Florida • Georgia • Louisiana • Maine • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • New Hampshire • New York • North Dakota • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • South Carolina • Texas • Virginia
Other 2026 Election coverage
Filing deadlines • Statewide elections State legislative elections Gubernatorial elections • Ballot measures

As of January, two special elections have been called to fill vacant seats in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly.

Click here to read more about the special elections.

House special elections called:

• District 26: November 3
• District 42: November 3

How vacancies are filled in North Dakota

If there is a vacancy in the North Dakota State Legislature, the vacancy is filled by the district committee of the political party that holds the seat. A replacement must be named within 21 days of the vacancy. The appointed person shall serve until the next general election which is scheduled for at least 94 days after the vacancy occurs. Qualified electors in a district where a vacancy exists can also petition for a special election to be called by the governor to fill the remaining term.

See sources: North Dakota Cent. Code §44-02-03.1

About the legislature

The North Dakota Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of North Dakota. The Legislative Assembly consists of two bodies, the North Dakota House of Representatives and the North Dakota State Senate. A legislative council and its research, administrative, and support staff also assist the Legislative Assembly in its day-to-day activities.

The boxes below show the partisan composition of both chambers directly before and after the most recent general elections prior to 2026. For the most up-to-date numbers on partisan composition in this legislature, see here (Senate) and here (House).

North Dakota State Senate
Party		As of November 5, 2024	After November 6, 2024
	Democratic Party	4	5
	Republican Party	43	42
Total		47	47

North Dakota House of Representatives
Party		As of November 5, 2024	After November 6, 2024
	Democratic Party	12	11
	Republican Party	82	83
Total		94	94

Special elections

Click [show] to the right of the district name for more information:

November 3, 2026

North Dakota House of Representatives District 26

See also: North Dakota state legislative special elections, 2026 A special election for North Dakota House of Representatives District 26 has been called for November 3, 2026. A primary is scheduled to take place on June 9, 2026. The major party candidate filing deadline is April 6, 2026. The write-in candidate filing deadline is May 19, 2026. The seat became vacant after Jeremy Olson (R) resigned from office on May 5, 2025. There are no official candidates yet for this election.

North Dakota House of Representatives District 42

See also: North Dakota state legislative special elections, 2026 A special election for North Dakota House of Representatives District 42 has been called for November 3, 2026. A primary is scheduled to take place on June 9, 2026. The major party candidate filing deadline is April 6, 2026. The write-in candidate filing deadline is May 19, 2026. The seat became vacant after Emily O'Brien (R) resigned from office on August 9, 2025, to become the deputy commissioner of the North Dakota Health and Human Services department. There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Special elections throughout the country

See also: State legislative special elections, 2026

As of January 2026, 48 state legislative special elections have been scheduled for 2026 in 19 states. Between 2011 and 2024, an average of 70 special elections took place each year.

Breakdown of 2026 special elections

In 2026, special elections for state legislative positions are being held for the following reasons:

• 27 due to appointment, election, or the seeking of election to another position
• 17 due to resignation
• 4 due to the death of the incumbent

Impact of special elections on partisan composition

The partisan breakdown for the special elections is as follows:

• 28 Democratic seats
• 19 Republican seats

As of January 14th, 2026, Republicans controlled 55.24% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 43.57%. Republicans held a majority in 57 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 39 chambers. Two chambers (Alaska House and Alaska Senate) were organized under multipartisan, power-sharing coalitions. One chamber (Minnesota House of Representatives) was split evenly between both parties.

Partisan balance of all 7,386 state legislative seats
Legislative chamber			Other	Vacant
State senates	835	1,119	6	13
State houses	2,383	2,961	20	49
Total:	3,218	4,080	26	62

The table below details how many seats changed parties as the result of a special election in 2026. The number on the left reflects how many vacant seats were originally held by each party, while the number on the right shows how many vacant seats each party won in the special elections.

Note: This table reflects information for elections that have been held and not the total number of vacant seats.

Partisan Change from Special Elections (2026)
Party		As of Special Election	After Special Election
	Democratic Party	28	3
	Republican Party	20	3
	Independent	0	0
Total		48	6

Flipped seats

In 2026, as of January, no seats flipped as a result of state legislative special elections.

See also

• State legislative special elections, 2026
• State legislative special elections, 2025
• State legislative special elections, 2024
• State legislative special elections, 2023
• North Dakota Legislative Assembly

Footnotes

State legislatures

Legislatures

Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S)

2026

State legislative elections (2026) • State legislative special elections (2026) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2026 Session Dates

2025

State legislative elections (2025) • State legislative special elections (2025) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2025 Session Dates

Historical elections

2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000

Features of state legislatures

How vacancies are filled in state legislatures • States with a full-time legislature • State legislatures with term limits • Comparison of state legislative salaries • When state legislators assume office after a general election • Population represented by state legislators • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures • State legislative sessions • Resign-to-run law • State legislature candidate requirements by state • Official names of state legislatures • State legislative chambers that use multi-member districts • Factors Affecting Competitiveness in State Legislative Elections

State senates

Length of terms of state senators • State senators • Partisan composition of state senates • State senators sorted by year first elected

State houses

Length of terms of state representatives • State representatives • Partisan composition of state houses • State representatives sorted by year first elected

Leadership positions

President of the Senate • President Pro Tempore • Senate Majority Leader • Senate Minority Leader • House Majority Leader • House Minority Leader • State Speaker of the House

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams, Managing Editor of Events • Joseph Greaney, Managing Editor of Policy • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Victoria Edwards • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox