To vote in North Dakota, a person must be:
1. A United States citizen;
2. At least 18 years old on the day of the election;
3. A North Dakota resident; and
4. A resident in the precinct for at least 30 days preceding the election.*
*If the voter has been evicted, their address is where they had lived before eviction (An individual retains a residence in this state until another has been gained.)
For more information see Frequently Asked Questions
Residency
For the purposes of voting, a person may have only one residence, shown by an actual fixed permanent dwelling, or any other abode. Residency in North Dakota is defined in North Dakota Century Code, Section 54-01-26 which states:
Every person has in law a residence. In determining the place of residence, the following rules must be observed: It is the place where one remains when not called elsewhere for labor or other special or temporary purpose, and to which he or she returns in seasons of repose. There can be only one residence. A residence cannot be lost until another is gained The residence can be changed only by the union of act and intent.
16.1-01-04.2. Residence for voting - Rules for determining.
For purposes of voting:
North Dakota does not require voter registration.
Therefore, an eligible voter may vote in an election if the voter provides acceptable identification.
North Dakota does not require voter registration.
Therefore, an eligible voter may vote in an election if the voter provides acceptable identification.
North Dakota does not require voter registration.
Therefore, an eligible voter may vote in an election if the voter provides acceptable identification.
A federal, state, or local government may use the Supplemental Documentation form to provide the individual with the necessary information for voting. Tribal governments in North Dakota may use the appropriate form for supplemental documentation:
(NDCC § 16.1-01-04.1)
Date of Birth
For more information see ID Required for Voting
*If a person has been evicted or is homeless their previous address is still vaild for voting. (An individual retains a residence in this state until another has been gained.)
Department of Motor Vehicles
Obtaining a Driver’s License
Important election dates can be found in the North Dakota Election Calendar
Due to the pandemic, voters can request an absentee ballot online. The multi-step process starts with selecting the type of ID you wish to use for the Absentee or Mail Ballot Application:
Long-term care certificate (You will need to include the certificate with your application.)
Track my Absentee or Mail Ballot's Status
Printable forms:
*Absentee/Mail Ballot Application
Absent Voter's Ballot Application-Agent Authorization (SFN 53933)
Absent Voter Ballot Application-President Only-New Resident (SFN 54449)
Absent Voter Ballot Application-President Only-Former Resident (SFN 54448)
Military voters and voters who reside outside the U.S.
All eligible North Dakotans have the option to request a ballot before the day of an election in a process known as absentee voting. You do not need to provide a reason for why you are requesting an absentee; however, you will be required to complete an application and sign an affidavit. You may submit an application anytime during the calendar year of an election; however, ballots are not available until the fortieth day before an election. Your application may be mailed, faxed, or personally delivered to your county auditor’s office.
You may live in a county using mail ballot elections (at least one polling place must be open on Election Day). In such counties a mail ballot application is required to be sent to every active voter between the 50th and 40th day before the election. The application is also to be printed in the County Official Newspaper for two consecutive weeks. Furthermore, applications may be requested from the auditor’s office or accessed online. Whether you vote absentee or by mail ballot your return envelope must be postmarked no later than the day before the election. If you are unable to meet this deadline then you will have to go to your appropriate polling place on Election Day to cast your ballot.
Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:
League of Women Voters- candidates by election race has information on most of the people running for office.
Click here for a listing of the different races.
Information from the ND Secretary of State's office
Important election dates can be found in the North Dakota Election Calendar
Voting Access Grievance/Complaint Form (SFN 54152)
Contest of Election
1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) (en Español)
1-888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) (Asian multilingual assistance)
1-844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) (Arabic)
Find useful voter information including:
Librarians from the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT), a Round Table of the American Library Association (ALA), created these reference guides. These guides are intended for informational purposes only and are not in any way intended to be legal advice.
If you have questions or feedback to share about these guides, we encourage you to CONTACT US.
These guides are designated with a Creative Commons license and re-use and modification for educational purposes is encouraged.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.