2020 North Dakota gubernatorial election

Last updated

2020 North Dakota gubernatorial election
Flag of North Dakota.svg
  2016 November 3, 2020 2024  
Turnout62.65%
  Governor Doug Burgum (cropped).jpg No image.svg
Nominee Doug Burgum Shelley Lenz
Party Republican Democratic–NPL
Running mate Brent Sanford Ben Vig
Popular vote235,47990,789
Percentage65.8%25.4%

2020 North Dakota gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
ND Governor 2020.svg
Burgum:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Lenz:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Governor before election

Doug Burgum
Republican

Elected Governor

Doug Burgum
Republican

The 2020 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota, concurrently with other federal and statewide elections, including the U.S. presidential election. [1] Incumbent Republican Governor Doug Burgum and Lieutenant Governor Brent Sanford were both re-elected to a second term.

Contents

Republican primary

The Republican Party held a state convention in the spring to endorse a single gubernatorial candidate. That candidate and his or her running mate were automatically placed on the primary election ballot. Endorsed candidates may or may not face competition from other candidates placed there by petition—as incumbent governor Burgum did in 2016. The winner of the primary appears on the general election ballot. All primary elections in North Dakota are open to all qualified North Dakota electors, regardless of party affiliation. [1] The 2020 primary election was held on June 9.

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Declined

Results

Results by county:
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Burgum-->90%
Burgum--80-90%
Burgum--70-80% North Dakota Governor Republican primary, 2020.svg
Results by county:
  Burgum—>90%
  Burgum—80–90%
  Burgum—70–80%
Republican primary results [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Doug Burgum (incumbent) 96,119 89.51%
Republican Michael Coachman10,90410.15%
Republican Write-In3560.33%
Total votes107,379 100.0%

Democratic-NPL primary

At the Democratic-NPL Party's virtual state convention on March 21, the party endorsed Shelley Lenz for governor and Ben Vig for lieutenant governor. [7] As a result, they were automatically placed on the primary election ballot, where they did not face competition from other candidates. The primary election was held on June 9, entirely by mail and open to all qualified North Dakota electors, regardless of party affiliation. [1]

Candidates

Nominee

Declined

Results

North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party primary results [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic–NPL Shelley Lenz 34,501 99.33%
Democratic–NPL Write-In2310.67%
Total votes34,732 100.0%

Other candidates

Libertarian Party

Nominee

  • DuWayne Hendrickson [11]
    • Running mate: Joshua Voytek [11]

Results

Libertarian primary results [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Libertarian DuWayne Hendrickson 705 77.64%
Libertarian Write-In20322.36%
Total votes908 100.0%

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [12] Safe ROctober 23, 2020
Inside Elections [13] Safe ROctober 28, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball [14] Safe RNovember 2, 2020
Politico [15] Safe RNovember 2, 2020
Daily Kos [16] Safe ROctober 28, 2020
RCP [17] Safe RNovember 2, 2020
270towin [18] Safe RNovember 2, 2020

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [lower-alpha 1]
Margin
of error
Doug
Burgum (R)
Shelley
Lenz (D)
DuWayne
Hendrickson (L)
Undecided
DFM Research September 12–16, 2020500 (LV)± 4.5%56%24%6%14%
Hypothetical polling
with Heidi Heitkamp
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [lower-alpha 1]
Margin
of error
Doug
Burgum (R)
Heidi
Heitkamp (D)
Other /
Undecided
1892 Polling (R) [upper-alpha 1] July 15–17, 2019500 (LV)± 4.4%62%33%5%

Results

North Dakota gubernatorial election, 2020 [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican
235,479 65.84% -10.68%
Democratic–NPL
90,78925.38%+5.99%
Libertarian
  • DuWayne Hendrickson
  • Joshua Voytek
13,8533.87%-0.03%
Write-in 17,5384.90%+4.71%
Total votes357,659 100.00%
Turnout 364,25162.65%
Registered electors 581,379
Republican hold
By county
County Doug Burgum
Republican
Shelley Lenz
Democratic–NPL
DuWayne Hendrickson
Libertarian
Write-in MarginTotal
votes
#%#%#%#%#%
Adams 1,00079.3716312.94403.17403.1783766.431,260
Barnes 3,77568.441,36624.761733.142023.662,40943.675,516
Benson 1,09856.2570836.27613.13854.3539019.981,952
Billings 44270.27579.06284.4510216.2234054.05629
Bottineau 2,65377.0158817.07932.701113.222,06559.943,445
Bowman 1,25476.6517110.45533.241589.661,08366.201,636
Burke 86075.3112911.30433.771109.6373164.011,142
Burleigh 31,06762.1312,06424.132,3854.774,4878.9719,00338.0050,003
Cass 50,64959.3131,05536.372,7373.219511.1119,59422.9585,392
Cavalier 1,55177.1334317.06552.73623.081,20860.072,011
Dickey 1,79173.9547919.78722.97803.301,31254.172,422
Divide 91876.7620016.72403.34383.1871860.031,196
Dunn 1,71174.0728012.12994.292209.521,43161.952,310
Eddy 84767.6030724.50372.95624.9554043.101,253
Emmons 1,37570.3022511.50985.0125813.191,11757.111,956
Foster 1,31774.9629016.51583.30925.241,02758.451,757
Golden Valley 79278.1110510.36464.54717.0068767.751,014
Grand Forks 19,15062.7710,00632.809553.133951.299,14429.9730,506
Grant 96470.2617112.46715.1716612.1079357.801,372
Griggs 92474.4624719.90332.66372.9867754.551,241
Hettinger 92371.6615311.88655.0514711.4177059.781,288
Kidder 92864.3621514.91755.2022415.5370448.821,442
LaMoure 1,66675.4939117.72693.13813.671,27557.772,207
Logan 73969.7810910.29545.1015714.8358254.961,059
McHenry 2,21174.3244715.031364.571816.081,76459.292,975
McIntosh 1,10977.1220113.98644.45644.4590863.141,438
McKenzie 4,30580.6065912.341923.591853.463,64668.265,341
McLean 3,46663.671,09420.103055.6057910.642,37243.575,444
Mercer 3,35272.6559112.811753.7949610.752,76159.844,614
Morton 10,25462.733,34120.448655.291,88611.546,91342.2916,346
Mountrail 2,69165.271,07226.001704.121904.611,61939.274,123
Nelson 1,19267.0850428.36402.25412.3168838.721,777
Oliver 74170.8412311.76444.2113813.1960357.651,046
Pembina 2,45174.2762518.94912.761334.031,82655.333,300
Pierce 1,52272.2037317.69612.891527.211,14954.512,108
Ramsey 3,76170.121,23923.101813.371833.412,52247.025,364
Ransom 1,60365.5669328.34973.97522.1391037.222,445
Renville 1,06480.9716812.79433.27392.9789668.191,314
Richland 5,45870.341,96325.302363.041021.313,49545.047,759
Rolette 1,49639.722,15157.12802.12391.04-655-17.393,766
Sargent 1,41468.6457127.72532.57221.0784340.922,060
Sheridan 51664.9110112.70435.4113516.9838147.92795
Sioux 34028.8966756.67776.54937.90-327-27.781,177
Slope 32977.41409.41163.76409.4128968.00425
Stark 10,49970.841,97713.347545.091,59010.738,52257.5014,820
Steele 71465.6333330.61242.21171.5638135.021,088
Stutsman 7,07172.261,99220.363954.043273.345,07951.919,785
Towner 86173.7823420.05302.57423.6062753.731,167
Traill 2,75566.841,20129.14962.33701.701,55437.704,122
Walsh 3,46172.9697520.551202.531883.962,48652.404,744
Ward 20,29572.515,58719.961,2624.518473.0314,70852.5527,991
Wells 1,60668.5735615.20984.1828212.041,25053.372,342
Williams 10,54875.481,68912.096654.761,0727.678,85963.4013,974
Totals235,47965.8490,78925.3813,8533.8717,5384.90144,69040.46357,659

Notes

Partisan clients
  1. Poll sponsored by Doug Burgum
General notes
  1. 1 2 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "North Dakota Election Laws" (PDF). North Dakota Secretary of State . Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  2. Dura, Jack (October 24, 2019). "Gov. Burgum announces reelection campaign". The Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  3. Dura, Jack (September 16, 2019). "Coachman announces 2020 North Dakota gubernatorial campaign". Grand Forks Herald. Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  4. "Candidate List Results". North Dakota Secretary of State. April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Easter, Sam (June 16, 2019). "Little interest, so far, in ND governor's race". The Jamestown Sun. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 "Statewide Results". North Dakota Secretary of State . Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  7. Dura, Jack (March 22, 2020). "North Dakota Democrats endorse 2020 state, congressional candidates". The Bismarck Tribune . Lee Enterprises . Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  8. "Shelley Lenz launches campaign for ND Governor". KVRR. January 31, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  9. "Dem-NPL Governor Candidate Lenz Announces Running Mate". KVRR Local News. April 6, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  10. Nicholson, Blake (August 8, 2019). "Burgum campaign measures popularity against that of Heitkamp". The Bismarck Tribune . Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  11. 1 2 "2020 primary election contest/candidate list".
  12. "2020 Governor Race Ratings for October 23, 2020". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  13. "2020 Gubernatorial Ratings". insideelections.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  14. "2020 Gubernatorial race ratings". Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 2, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  15. "We rated every gubernatorial race in 2020. Here's who we think will win". Politico. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  16. "2020 Governor Race Ratings". Daily Kos. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  17. "2020 Governor Races". RealClearPolitics. June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  18. "2020 Gubernatorial Elections Map". 270towin.
  19. "Statewide Results". North Dakota Secretary of State. November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
Official campaign websites