North Dakota State and Local Government

The Green Papers: State and Local Government

North Dakota

Governor:	1	(Term Limit: None; 4-year term)
Senators:	2	(Electoral Classes 1 and 3)
2000 Census:	643,756	(0.23% of 281,998,273)
2004, 2008 Electors:	3	(0.56% of 538)
2002-2010 Representatives:	1	(0.23% of 435)
2010 Census:	675,905	(0.22% of 309,785,186)
2012, 2016, 2020 Electors:	3	(0.56% of 538)
2012-2020 Representatives:	1	(0.23% of 435)
Capital:	Bismarck

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States Alphabetically Current North Dakota Statewide Office Holders


Official Name/Status All States
	The STATE of North Dakota
	Status: STATE of the Union
	Organized as a Territory: 2 March 1861. 12 Stat. 239: along with what would become SOUTH DAKOTA, was organized as "Dakota" Territory from what had previously been part of Nebraska Territory
	Admitted to the Union as a State: 2 November 1889 upon Proclamation by President Benjamin Harrison (26 Stat. 1548)
	The 39th state.


Traditional Sections and Regions All States
	Section: MIDWEST
	Region: Great Plains
	Survey: Public Domain

Constitutions All States Links to State Constitutions

Enabling Act (of the Congress of the United States): 22 February 1889 [25 Stat. 676: authorizing formation of a State government and Admission thereafter]

• 1st (1889-) [Adopted: 17 August 1889 Convention convened, 4 July 1889, Ratified: 1 October 1889 ratified by a vote of 27,441 to 8,107; effective upon Admission, 2 November 1889. (A separate vote on Article 20- prohibiting the manufacture, sale and importation of intoxicating beverages- approved this provision by a vote of 18,552 to 17,393)]

Executive Branch All States

Chief Executive
	• GOVERNOR
Successor to a Vacancy
	• Lieutenant Governor [elected on same ticket with GOVERNOR]

Major Executive Officers Elected Statewide All States 2021 Office holders
	• Governor: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2020, 2024. Term Limit: None
	• Lieutenant Governor: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2020, 2024. Elected on a ticket with the Governor
	• Secretary of State (2006--): 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022
	• Secretary of State (2004-2006): 2 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2004. In June 2000 the voters approved a new 4 year election cycle. In 2004, the term of office will be 2 years; In 2006 and thereafter, the term of office will be 4 years.
	• Secretary of State (--2004): 4 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2000
	• Attorney General (2006--): 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022
	• Attorney General (2004-2006): 2 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2004. In June 2000 the voters approved a new 4 year election cycle. In 2004, the term of office will be 2 years; In 2006 and thereafter, the term of office will be 4 years.
	• Attorney General (--2004): 4 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2000
	• Treasurer: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2020, 2024
	• Auditor: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2020, 2024
	• Commissioner of Agriculture (2006--): 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022
	• Commissioner of Agriculture (2004-2006): 2 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2004. In June 2000 the voters approved a new 4 year election cycle. In 2004, the term of office will be 2 years; In 2006 and thereafter, the term of office will be 4 years.
	• Commissioner of Agriculture (--2004): 4 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2000
	• Tax Commissioner: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022
	• Tax Commissioner (2004-2006): 2 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2004. In June 2000 the voters approved a new 4 year election cycle. In 2004, the term of office will be 2 years; In 2006 and thereafter, the term of office will be 4 years.
	• Tax Commissioner (--2004): 4 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2000
	• Commissioner of Insurance: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2020, 2024
	• Superintendent of Public Instruction: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2020, 2024
	• Public Service Commissioner 1: 6 year term, Election Cycle: 2016, 2022
	• Public Service Commissioner 2: 6 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2024
	• Public Service Commissioner 3: 6 year term, Election Cycle: 2020, 2026

Legislative Branch All States

Legislature
	• LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Upper House
	• Senate
Lower House
	• House of Representatives

Judicial Branch All States

Court of Last Resort
	• Supreme Court
Intermediate Appellate Court
	• Court of Appeals

Local Government


PRIMARY CIVIL DIVISION All States
	• county [Type: Broad, Executive and Legislative: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS]
	MINOR CIVIL DIVISION All States
		• township [Type: Limited, Executive and Legislative: Board of Supervisors]

Incorporated Municipalities All States

Statutory Election Information All States

General Election All States
	• The general election must be held in all the election districts of this state on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year. [NDCC § 16.1-13-01]
State Primary All States
	• Second Tuesday in June [NDCC § 16.1-11-01]
Polling times All States
	• Polling locations cannot open earlier than 7:00 a.m. and must be open by 9:00 a.m. with the exception of those precincts in which fewer than 75 votes were cast in the last General Election. The governing body of the exempt polling locations may direct the polls to open no later than 12:00 noon. All polling locations must remain open until 7:00 p.m. and close no later than 9:00 p.m. [NDCC § 16.1-01-03].

Links Links to other web sites

Election Authority
	• North Dakota Secretary of State
	• North Dakota Secretary of State - Elections and Voting
Legislature All States
	• North Dakota Legislative Branch
Democratic
	• North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party
Republican
	• North Dakota Republican Party
Third Party
	• Libertarian Party of North Dakota
	• North Dakota Libertarian Party
	• North Dakota Right to Life
Media & others
	• Bismarck Tribune
	• Devils Lake Journal
	• Grand Forks Herald
	• In-Forum - Fargo - Grand Forks
	• KFYR TV - NBC - Bismarck
	• KXMA TV - CBS - Dickinson
	• KXMC TV - CBS - Minot
	• NDx Plains - Fargo
	• NorthDecoder - political blog
	• Politics1.com - North Dakota
	• Praire Public Television - North Dakota Public Radio
	• The Minot Daily News
	• The Williston Daily Herald
	• Valley City Times-Record
	• Wahpeton Daily News
	• WDAY TV - Fargo
	• WDAZ TV - ABC - Grand Forks