The short version
North Dakota nominates partisan candidates through the June primary. You reach the ballot either by getting your party's endorsement (a Certificate of Endorsement) or by petition. North Dakota has no voter registration, but candidate petitions still need voter signatures.
- Offices you can run for
- Federal (U.S. House and Senate); statewide offices (Governor and other state officials); the North Dakota Legislature; county offices; and (nonpartisan) judicial seats.
- How to get on the ballot
- File a Certificate of Endorsement (if your party endorsed you) or a Petition/Certificate of Nomination with the required signatures — equal to 1% of the legislative district's population, capped at 300 — together with an Affidavit of Candidacy and Statement of Interests, by the deadline (4 p.m. on the 64th day before the election). Petitions can't be circulated before January 1 of the election year.
- Who runs candidate filing
- North Dakota Secretary of State — Elections Unit
This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Filing deadlines and fees change every election cycle and vary by office — the official North Dakota resources below are the final word. When in doubt, the elections authority is right and we're wrong.
Official North Dakota candidate resources
Start here for the exact deadlines, fees, forms, and signature counts for your office and cycle.
- Become a Candidate →
- State, Legislative, Judicial Offices →
- 2026 Election & Candidate Filing Guide (PDF) →
Once you're on the ballot, Motion51 runs your field game.
Get your district's voter file loaded, cut into walkable turf, and onto an app your volunteers use at the door. North Dakota is fully available — see how to get your voter file.
Talk to us about your North Dakota race
Tell us what you're running for and we'll help you go from "qualified" to "knocking doors" — voter file loaded, turf cut, volunteers set up.