Voting in North Dakota
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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in North Dakota:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information election agencies.
- Summaries of noteworthy policy-related events.
See Election administration in North Dakota for more additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.
Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.
Voter registration
North Dakota is the only state that does not require voters to register.
Eligibility and registration details
- Check your voter information here.
North Dakota is the only state that does not require voter registration.[1][2]
| “ | 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.
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” |
| —North Dakota Secretary of State | ||
In-person voting
The table below displays in-person voting information specific to North Dakota's 2024 election cycle.
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.[4][5]
Voter identification
- 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.[6]
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."[6]
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."[6]
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.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
The table below displays absentee voting information specific to North Dakota's 2024 election cycle.
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 postmarked at least one day before the election.[10]
Local election officials
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. |
Voting rules 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.[11]
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in North Dakota can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
North Dakota County Election Officials
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 Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
Ballotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state. These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.
Below are links to the most recent editions. Click here to see all past reports, and be on the lookout for more throughout the year!
- State of Election Administration Legislation 2024 Year-End Report
- State of Election Administration Legislation 2024 Mid-Year Report
- State of Election Administration Legislation, May 2024 Roundup
The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.
- The Ballot Bulletin: March 14, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: March 7, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 28, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 21, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 14, 2025
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Ballotpedia's election coverage
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
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- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2024
See also
- State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
- Voter ID in North Dakota
- Election administration in North Dakota
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in North Dakota
Elections in North Dakota
- North Dakota elections, 2025
- North Dakota elections, 2024
- North Dakota elections, 2023
- North Dakota elections, 2022
- North Dakota elections, 2021
- North Dakota elections, 2020
- North Dakota elections, 2019
- North Dakota elections, 2018
- North Dakota elections, 2017
- North Dakota elections, 2016
- North Dakota elections, 2015
- North Dakota elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, “North Dakota….The Only State Without Voter Registration,” accessed April 24, 2023
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, “Voter Registration in North Dakota,” accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "Q: What are voting hours in North Dakota?" accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "2023 North Dakota Century Code, 16.1-01-03. Opening and closing of the polls," accessed August 14, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 North Dakota Secretary of State, "ID Requirements for Voting," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ North Dakota Century Code, "CHAPTER 16.1-07 ABSENT VOTERS' BALLOTS AND ABSENTEE VOTING," accessed June 24, 2024
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "Early Voting Available Counties," accessed October 28, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "2023 North Dakota Century Code, CHAPTER 16.1-07ABSENT VOTERS' BALLOTS AND ABSENTEE VOTING," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, "North Dakota Residents Choosing to Vote Absentee or by Mail," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
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