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Free public service for North Dakota votersNo candidate endorsementsGuide sources checked October 1, 2026General election November 3, 2026

Official voter resources

Make your North Dakota voting plan

North Dakota has no voter registration. Absentee voting began September 24, applications are due November 2, and ballots must arrive by the local close of polls November 3.

First steps

Start with these three actions

Step 1

Confirm eligibility and voter ID

North Dakota does not require voter registration. A voter must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18, and a North Dakota resident for 30 days before the election, and must present an accepted North Dakota or tribal identification form.

Step 2

Request and return an absentee ballot

Submit an absentee application by November 2. The completed ballot must be received by the close of polls November 3 and may be returned by mail, county drop box, or in person to the county auditor. Election Day polling locations do not accept absentee returns.

Step 3

Check local voting hours

Early-voting dates and Election Day polling hours vary by county and precinct. State law permits polling places to open from 7 a.m. through 9 a.m. and close from 7 p.m. through 9 p.m. Use the official portal for the exact local schedule.

No registrationNorth Dakota voter-registration rule
September 24absentee voting began
November 2absentee application deadline
November 3General Election Day
Dated checklist

Election timeline

  1. Absentee voting begins

    The official 2026 election page lists this as the start of absentee voting.

  2. Statewide write-in filing deadline

    Congressional, statewide, legislative, and judicial district write-in certificates are due by this deadline.

  3. Absentee application submission deadline

    The official election page lists November 2 as the application submission deadline.

  4. General Election Day and absentee receipt deadline

    Polling hours are set locally within the state-law range. Absentee ballots must be received by the local close of polls.

  5. County canvassing boards meet

    A set-aside voter must provide qualifying identification before the county canvassing board meets.

Check the current rule: Accepted voter ID includes a North Dakota driver's license, North Dakota non-driver ID, tribal ID or tribal letter, or long-term care certificate. A voter with outdated information may use qualifying supplemental documentation. A voter without acceptable ID may cast a set-aside ballot and provide the needed identification before the county canvassing board meets. Digital NDDOT IDs are not accepted for voting.
On the ballot

2 statewide constitutional measures

The official measure page and November ballot-measure guide list two constitutional measures for every North Dakota voter.

  • Constitutional Measure No. 1 - HCR 3003Would require constitutional amendments submitted by legislative resolution or initiative petition to receive at least 60 percent of the vote for enactment. The official estimate says there is no fiscal impact.
  • Initiated Constitutional Measure No. 2 - School mealsWould require public school districts, public schools, and public charter schools to provide one breakfast and one lunch each school day at no cost, allow specified other schools to participate, and require state reimbursement. The official fiscal estimate is a $124.3 million to $134.3 million increase in ongoing biennial expenditures for 2027-2029, adjusted for inflation afterward.
View official ballot-measure information
Judicial retention

2 statewide Supreme Court candidate contests

The statewide roster includes an unexpired eight-year Supreme Court contest with Douglas A Bahr and a regular Supreme Court contest with Ariston E Johnson and Jerod Tufte. These are candidate contests, not retention questions, and are included in the totals. District court contests are district-specific and excluded.

Open the official statewide candidate list
Official instructions

Use North Dakota's official voter pages

The Secretary of State links the statewide candidate list, ballot-measure guide, polling-place table, absentee guidance, voter ID rules, and address-specific sample ballots. Local schedules and ballot styles vary.

Open the official North Dakota voter page
Official starting points

Official voter links

2026 election pageOfficial election date, absentee dates, candidate roster, measures, and polling-place links.Voting in North DakotaOfficial no-registration eligibility and accepted ID overview.Forms of voter IDOfficial accepted ID, supplemental documentation, and set-aside ballot guidance.Absentee votingOfficial application and ballot-return rules.Where do I vote?Official address-specific polling location, hours, ballot, and county auditor tools.2026 election lawsOfficial statutory polling-hour range and election rules.

Dates checked October 1, 2026. Confirm them at the linked official source.