North Dakota Voter Turnout Hits 39.8 Percent, Lowest in 50 Years

Just 39.8 percent of eligible North Dakota voters cast ballots in the 2026 General Election, Valley News Live reported, marking the lowest general-election turnout in the state in 50 years. The previous low, 43 percent, was set just four years earlier in the 2022 General Election.

Unofficial returns showed 239,488 ballots cast across all 53 counties, according to Valley News Live, while the North Dakota Secretary of State’s office posted a slightly lower preliminary total of 239,057 on its official site.

How North Dakotans Voted

The breakdown of those ballots shows a state still clinging to Election Day tradition, even as participation dropped. Of the total vote, 56.6 percent was cast on Election Day itself—135,529 ballots per Valley News Live, or 135,098 according to the Secretary of State. The remaining 43.4 percent arrived through early voting and absentee or vote-by-mail channels: 50,493 early ballots and 53,466 absentee ballots.

North Dakota Election Night 2026 | LIVE Results & Analysis

Those method splits matter because they reveal a electorate split between habit and convenience. More than half of all voters still showed up in person on Election Day, yet nearly half relied on mail or early options.

A Disappointing Milestone, Officials Acknowledge

Secretary of State Michael Howe did not shy away from the record when his office released the unofficial numbers.

“North Dakota voters made their voices heard and our office was proud to work alongside all 53 counties to ensure a free and fair election. I am incredibly grateful for the 3,000 poll workers who stepped forward to make democracy happen. While the voter turnout is disappointing, I am hopeful more North Dakotans will become civically engaged and vote in future elections.”

Election Results Undergo Final Review

The 39.8 percent figure remains unofficial for now. County canvassing boards will meet on November 16 to review their returns, and the State Canvassing Board will certify the final results on November 18. Voters and campaigns can track the unofficial returns through the North Dakota Secretary of State’s election results website, while registration and voting information is available at vote.nd.gov.

When fewer than four in ten eligible voters participate, the voices of the 60.2 percent who stayed home shape the outcome by their absence.