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North Dakota State Senate

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North Dakota State Senate
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General Information
Party control:   Republican
Session start:   January 7, 2025
Session end:   May 3, 2025
Term length:   4 years
Term limits:   None
Redistricting:  Legislative control
Salary:   $592/month
+ per diem
Members
Total:  47
Democrats:  3
Republicans:  34
Other:  0
Vacancies:  0
Leadership
President:   Michelle Strinden (R)
Maj. Leader:   David Hogue (R)
Min. Leader:   Kathy Hogan (D)
Elections
Last election:  November 5, 2024
Next election:  November 3, 2026

The North Dakota State Senate is the upper chamber of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Alongside the North Dakota House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the North Dakota state government and works alongside the governor of North Dakota to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the North Dakota State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.

The North Dakota State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Bismarck, North Dakota.

  • A total of 23 seats out of the chamber's 47 seats were up for election in 2020. Click to read more »
  • In 2018, the chamber's Republican supermajority decreased from 38-9 to 37-10.
  • North Dakota has a Republican state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers. As of September 11, 2025, there are 23 Republican trifectas, 14 Democratic trifectas, and 13 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control. In the 2020 election, Republicans had a net gain of two trifectas and two states under divided government became trifectas. Prior to that election, North Dakota had a Republican trifecta. There were 21 Republican trifectas, 15 Democratic trifectas, and 14 divided governments.

    • This page contains the following information on the North Dakota State Senate.

    Party control

    Current partisan control

    The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the North Dakota State Senate as of September 2025:

    Party As of September 2025
         Democratic Party 5
         Republican Party 42
         Other 0
         Vacancies 0
    Total 47

    Members

    Leadership

    The lieutenant governor of North Dakota serves as president of the Senate.[1]

    Current leadership and members

    Salaries

    See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
    State legislative salaries, 2024[2]
    SalaryPer diem
    $592/month$213/day

    Swearing in dates

    See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

    North Dakota legislators assume office December 1st.

    Membership qualifications

    See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

    Article 4, Section 5 of the North Dakota Constitution states: State Senators and Representatives must be, on the day of the election, qualified voters in the district from which they are chosen and a resident of the state for one year preceding election to office.

    Historical party control

    Republicans won control of the North Dakota State Senate in 1994. In 2024, they won a 42-5 majority.

    The table below shows the partisan history of the North Dakota Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    North Dakota State Senate election results: 1992-2024

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18 '20 '22 '24
    Democrats 25 20 19 18 18 16 15 21 21 12 13 15 9 10 7 4 5
    Republicans 24 29 30 31 31 31 32 26 26 35 33 32 38 37 40 43 42

    Trifecta history

    A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Republicans in North Dakota held a state government trifecta for 23 years between 1992 to 2017. The table below shows state government trifectas in North Dakota from 1992 to 2019.

    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

    Elections

    Elections by year

    North Dakota state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. North Dakota holds elections for its legislature in even years.

    2026

    See also: North Dakota State Senate elections, 2026

    Elections for the North Dakota State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.

    2024

    See also: North Dakota State Senate elections, 2024

    Elections for the North Dakota State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was June 11, 2024. The filing deadline was April 8, 2024.

    Democrats gained one seat in the Nevada State Senate in the 2024 elections, but Republicans maintained the majority.

    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

    2022

    See also: North Dakota State Senate elections, 2022

    Elections for the North Dakota State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 14, 2022. The filing deadline was April 11, 2022.

    The Republican Party expanded its majority by three seats in the 2022 general election, from 40-7 to 43-4.

    North Dakota State Senate
    Party As of November 8, 2022 After November 9, 2022
         Democratic Party 7 4
         Republican Party 40 43
    Total 47 47

    2020

    See also: North Dakota State Senate elections, 2020

    Elections for the office of North Dakota State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 9, 2020. The filing deadline was April 6, 2020.

    In the 2020 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the North Dakota State Senate from 37-10 to 40-7.

    North Dakota State Senate
    Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
         Democratic Party 10 7
         Republican Party 37 40
    Total 47 47

    2018

    See also: North Dakota State Senate elections, 2018

    Elections for the North Dakota State Senate took place in 2018. An open primary election took place on June 12, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was April 9, 2018.[3]

    In the 2018 elections, Republicans lost one seat but maintained their majority in the North Dakota State Senate.

    North Dakota State Senate
    Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
         Democratic Party 9 10
         Republican Party 38 37
    Total 47 47

    2016

    See also: North Dakota State Senate elections, 2016

    Elections for the North Dakota State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 11, 2016. A total of 23 seats out of the 47 seats in the North Dakota State Senate were up for election in 2016.

    Heading into the election, Republicans held a 32-15 majority. Republicans gained six seats in the election, giving them a 38-9 majority.

    North Dakota State Senate
    Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
         Democratic Party 15 9
         Republican Party 32 38
    Total 47 47

    Vacancies

    See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

    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.[11]

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

    District map

    See also: North Dakota state legislative districts

    The state of North Dakota has 47 state Senate districts. Each district elects one senator.

    Use the interactive map below to find your district.

    Redistricting

    See also: Redistricting in North Dakota

    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.[12]

    The North Dakota Constitution requires that state legislative districts be "compact and contiguous."[12][13]

    2020

    See also: Redistricting in North Dakota after the 2020 census

    Upon completion of the 2020 census, North Dakota will draft and enact new district maps. On Sept. 23, 2021, state Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner (R) said legislators would take up redistricting in a special session beginning Nov. 8.[14]

    2010

    North Dakota received its local census data on March 15, 2011. The state enjoyed an approximately five percent population growth to 672,591, but lost in rural districts, posing the threat of facing incumbents against each other. The legislature held a special session in November 2011 after preliminary approval by the Interim Legislative Redistricting Committee, and passed the proposed plan on the 8th, a day after convening. The plan cut two rural districts, added districts in Fargo and Bismarck, and paired over a dozen incumbents. Governor Jack Dalrymple (R) signed the plan into law on November 9, 2011.

    Sessions

    Legislation

    The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the North Dakota State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by both chambers and signed by the governor. Information on legislation provided below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. The tracker is fully interactive. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read its text in full and see its voting history. You can click the headings to sort the content in the column. You can also rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Finally, in the bottom-left corner of the tracker is a magnifying glass, which, when clicked, will allow you to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.

    Dates of legislative sessions in North Dakota by year

    2025

    See also: 2025 North Dakota legislative session and Dates of 2025 state legislative sessions

    In 2025, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 7, 2025, and adjourn on May 3, 2025.



    About legislative sessions in North Dakota

    The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[21] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.

    Article IV of the North Dakota Constitution establishes when the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 7 of Article IV states that the Assembly is to convene in regular session every January after a legislative election. This means that the Assembly convenes in January of every odd-numbered year. Section 7 specifies that the convening date is to be the first Tuesday after the third day in January, unless this date is changed by law. Section 7 limits the length of regular sessions to no more than eighty days every two years.

    Legislative roles and procedures

    Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, and procedures for filling membership vacancies.

    Veto overrides

    Veto Override Graphic-Republican Party.png

    See also: Veto overrides in state legislatures

    State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in North Dakota are listed below.

    How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in both chambers.

    Two-thirds of members in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 63 of the 94 members in the North Dakota House of Representatives and 32 of the 47 members in the North Dakota State Senate. North Dakota is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto.

    Authority: Article V, Section 9 of the North Dakota Constitution.

    "The governor shall return for reconsideration any vetoed item or bill, with a written statement of the governor's objections, to the house in which it originated. That house shall immediately enter the governor's objections upon its journal. If, by a recorded vote, two-thirds of the members elected to that house pass a vetoed item or bill, it, along with the statement of the governor's objections, must immediately be delivered to the other house. If, by a recorded vote, two-thirds of the members elected to the other house also pass it, the vetoed item or bill becomes law."

    Role in state budget

    See also: North Dakota state budget and finances
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    The state operates on a biennial budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[22]

    1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies between April and May of the year preceding the start of the new biennium.
    2. State agencies submit their budget requests to the governor between July and October.
    3. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature in December.
    4. The legislature typically adopts a budget in April. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The new biennium begins in July.

    North Dakota is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[22][23]

    The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the state legislature is required to pass a balanced budget.[22]

    Committees

    See also: List of committees in North Dakota state government

    Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.

    • Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
    • Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
    • Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.

    Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The North Dakota State Senate has 11 standing committees:

    Constitutional amendments

    In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

    The methods by which the North Dakota Constitution can be amended:

    See also: Article III and Section 16, Article IV, of the North Dakota Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in North Dakota

    The North Dakota Constitution provides three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution—a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. North Dakota requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.

    Initiative

    See also: Initiated constitutional amendment

    An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.

    In North Dakota, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 4% of the state's population reported by the last decennial census. Each initiative has its own unique deadline of one year after it was approved to circulate. The completed petition must be submitted at least 120 days prior to the election.

    Legislature

    See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

    A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the North Dakota State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 48 votes in the North Dakota House of Representatives and 24 votes in the North Dakota State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

    Convention

    See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

    According to Section 1 of Article III of the North Dakota Constitution, the state's initiative petition process is used to call a constitutional convention.


    See also

    Elections North Dakota State Government State Legislatures State Politics
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    North Dakota State Flag-Close Up.jpg
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    State Courts-Tile image.png

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ North Dakota Legislative Assembly, "North Dakota Senate Leadership for 2013-2014," accessed August 18, 2014
    2. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
    3. ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "2018 North Dakota Election Calendar," accessed August 3, 2017
    4. ↑ Follow the Money, "North Dakota State Senate 2012 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 23, 2014
    5. ↑ Follow the Money, "North Dakota State Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 23, 2014
    6. ↑ Follow the Money, "North Dakota State Senate 2008 Campaign Contributions"
    7. ↑ Follow the Money, "North Dakota State Senate 2006 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 23, 2014
    8. ↑ Follow the Money, "North Dakota State Senate 2004 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 23, 2014
    9. ↑ Follow the Money, "North Dakota State Senate 2002 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 23, 2014
    10. ↑ Follow the Money, "North Dakota State Senate 2000 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 23, 2014
    11. ↑ North Dakota Legislative Branch, "North Dakota Century Code §44-02-03.1," accessed February 6, 2023
    12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 All About Redistricting, 'North Dakota," accessed April 22, 2015
    13. ↑ North Dakota Constitution, "Article IV, Section 2," accessed April 22, 2015
    14. ↑ Knox News Radio, "ND special session date set," September 23, 2021
    15. ↑ Prairie Business, "Oil country funding most anticipated issue of ND legislative session," January 2, 2015
    16. ↑ NewsOK, "Oil issues to dominate ND legislative session," January 6, 2013
    17. ↑ North Dakota Legislative Assembly, "View House Floor Calendar," accessed August 18, 2014
    18. ↑ The Bismarck Tribune, "N.D. House leader: Special session starts Nov. 7," September 15, 2011
    19. ↑ PlainsDaily, "ND Dems Disappointed With No Chairmanship Assignments," May 25, 2011
    20. ↑ North Dakota Legislative Assembly, "61st Legislative Assembly," accessed August 18, 2014
    21. ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed May 20, 2017
    22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
    23. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
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