# 2020 North Dakota gubernatorial election

Elections in North Dakota :
Federal government
Presidential
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
1996
2000
2004
2008
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2004
2008
2012
2024
U.S. Senate
1889
1891
1893
1897
1899
1903
1905
1909
1911
1911 sp
1914
1916
1920
1922
1926
1926 sp
1928
1932
1934
1938
1940
1944
1946
1946 sp
1950
1952
1956
1958
1960 sp
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1992
1992 sp
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
2022
2024
U.S. House
1889
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1917
1st sp
1918
1920
1922
1924
2nd sp
1926
1928
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1963
1st sp
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
State elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1889
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1921 (recall)
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Secretary of State elections
2018
2022
Attorney General elections
2018
2022
State Treasurer elections
2020
2024
State Auditor elections
2020
2024
Agriculture Commissioner elections
2022
State Senate elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2004
Constitutional Measure 1
2022
Constitutional Measure 1 :
Fargo
City elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Mayoral elections
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2015
2018
2022 :
Bismarck
City elections
2020
2022
2024
2026
Mayoral elections
2022 :
Grand Forks
City elections
2020
2024
Mayoral elections
2020
2024 :
vte :
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. Incumbent Republican governor Doug Burgum and lieutenant governor Brent Sanford were both re-elected to a second term, albeit by a smaller margin than in 2016.

## 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. The 2020 primary election was held on June 9.

### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Doug Burgum, incumbent governor
** Running mate: Brent Sanford, incumbent lieutenant governor

#### Eliminated in primary

* Michael Coachman, former Larimore city councilor and perennial candidate
** Running mate: Joel H. Hylden

#### Declined

* Wayne Stenehjem, North Dakota Attorney General
* Drew Wrigley, U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Doug Burgum (incumbent) | 96,119 | 89.51% |
| | Republican | Michael Coachman | 10,904 | 10.15% |
| | Republican | Write-In | 356 | 0.33% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 107,379 | 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. 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.

### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Shelley Lenz, veterinarian and former Killdeer school board member
** Running mate: Ben Vig, former state representative

#### Declined

* Joshua Boschee, minority leader of the North Dakota House of Representatives
* Heidi Heitkamp, former U.S. senator
* Erin Oban, state senator
* Mac Schneider, former minority leader of the North Dakota Senate

### Results

North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic–NPL | Shelley Lenz | 34,501 | 99.33% |
| | Democratic–NPL | Write-In | 231 | 0.67% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 34,732 | 100.0% |

## Other candidates
### Libertarian Party
#### Nominee

* DuWayne Hendrickson
** Running mate: Joshua Voytek

#### Results

Libertarian primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Libertarian | DuWayne Hendrickson | 705 | 77.64% |
| | Libertarian | Write-In | 203 | 22.36% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 908 | 100.0% |

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Safe R | October 23, 2020 |
| Inside Elections | Safe R | October 28, 2020 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
| Politico | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
| Daily Kos | Safe R | October 28, 2020 |
| RCP | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |
| 270towin | Safe R | November 2, 2020 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Doug Burgum (R) | Shelley Lenz (D) | DuWayne Hendrickson (L) | Undecided |
| DFM Research | September 12–16, 2020 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 56% | 24% | 6% | 14% |
with Heidi Heitkamp
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Doug Burgum (R) | Heidi Heitkamp (D) | Other / Undecided |
| 1892 Polling (R) | July 15–17, 2019 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 62% | 33% | 5% |

### Debate

The two major party candidates, as well as the Libertarian candidate DuWayne Hendrickson, had a televised debate on October 21.

### Results

North Dakota gubernatorial election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Doug Burgum (incumbent)Brent Sanford (incumbent) | 235,479 | 65.84% | −10.68% |
| | Democratic–NPL | Shelley LenzBen Vig | 90,789 | 25.38% | +5.99% |
| | Libertarian | DuWayne HendricksonJoshua Voytek | 13,853 | 3.87% | −0.03% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 17,538 | 4.90% | +4.71% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 357,659 | 100.00% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 364,251 | 62.65% | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 581,379 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

#### By county

By county :
| County | Doug Burgum Republican | Doug Burgum Republican | Shelley Lenz Democratic–NPL | Shelley Lenz Democratic–NPL | DuWayne Hendrickson Libertarian | DuWayne Hendrickson Libertarian | Write-in | Write-in | Margin | Margin | Total votes |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes |
| Adams | 1,000 | 79.37 | 163 | 12.94 | 40 | 3.17 | 40 | 3.17 | 837 | 66.43 | 1,260 |
| Barnes | 3,775 | 68.44 | 1,366 | 24.76 | 173 | 3.14 | 202 | 3.66 | 2,409 | 43.67 | 5,516 |
| Benson | 1,098 | 56.25 | 708 | 36.27 | 61 | 3.13 | 85 | 4.35 | 390 | 19.98 | 1,952 |
| Billings | 442 | 70.27 | 57 | 9.06 | 28 | 4.45 | 102 | 16.22 | 340 | 54.05 | 629 |
| Bottineau | 2,653 | 77.01 | 588 | 17.07 | 93 | 2.70 | 111 | 3.22 | 2,065 | 59.94 | 3,445 |
| Bowman | 1,254 | 76.65 | 171 | 10.45 | 53 | 3.24 | 158 | 9.66 | 1,083 | 66.20 | 1,636 |
| Burke | 860 | 75.31 | 129 | 11.30 | 43 | 3.77 | 110 | 9.63 | 731 | 64.01 | 1,142 |
| Burleigh | 31,067 | 62.13 | 12,064 | 24.13 | 2,385 | 4.77 | 4,487 | 8.97 | 19,003 | 38.00 | 50,003 |
| Cass | 50,649 | 59.31 | 31,055 | 36.37 | 2,737 | 3.21 | 951 | 1.11 | 19,594 | 22.95 | 85,392 |
| Cavalier | 1,551 | 77.13 | 343 | 17.06 | 55 | 2.73 | 62 | 3.08 | 1,208 | 60.07 | 2,011 |
| Dickey | 1,791 | 73.95 | 479 | 19.78 | 72 | 2.97 | 80 | 3.30 | 1,312 | 54.17 | 2,422 |
| Divide | 918 | 76.76 | 200 | 16.72 | 40 | 3.34 | 38 | 3.18 | 718 | 60.03 | 1,196 |
| Dunn | 1,711 | 74.07 | 280 | 12.12 | 99 | 4.29 | 220 | 9.52 | 1,431 | 61.95 | 2,310 |
| Eddy | 847 | 67.60 | 307 | 24.50 | 37 | 2.95 | 62 | 4.95 | 540 | 43.10 | 1,253 |
| Emmons | 1,375 | 70.30 | 225 | 11.50 | 98 | 5.01 | 258 | 13.19 | 1,117 | 57.11 | 1,956 |
| Foster | 1,317 | 74.96 | 290 | 16.51 | 58 | 3.30 | 92 | 5.24 | 1,027 | 58.45 | 1,757 |
| Golden Valley | 792 | 78.11 | 105 | 10.36 | 46 | 4.54 | 71 | 7.00 | 687 | 67.75 | 1,014 |
| Grand Forks | 19,150 | 62.77 | 10,006 | 32.80 | 955 | 3.13 | 395 | 1.29 | 9,144 | 29.97 | 30,506 |
| Grant | 964 | 70.26 | 171 | 12.46 | 71 | 5.17 | 166 | 12.10 | 793 | 57.80 | 1,372 |
| Griggs | 924 | 74.46 | 247 | 19.90 | 33 | 2.66 | 37 | 2.98 | 677 | 54.55 | 1,241 |
| Hettinger | 923 | 71.66 | 153 | 11.88 | 65 | 5.05 | 147 | 11.41 | 770 | 59.78 | 1,288 |
| Kidder | 928 | 64.36 | 215 | 14.91 | 75 | 5.20 | 224 | 15.53 | 704 | 48.82 | 1,442 |
| LaMoure | 1,666 | 75.49 | 391 | 17.72 | 69 | 3.13 | 81 | 3.67 | 1,275 | 57.77 | 2,207 |
| Logan | 739 | 69.78 | 109 | 10.29 | 54 | 5.10 | 157 | 14.83 | 582 | 54.96 | 1,059 |
| McHenry | 2,211 | 74.32 | 447 | 15.03 | 136 | 4.57 | 181 | 6.08 | 1,764 | 59.29 | 2,975 |
| McIntosh | 1,109 | 77.12 | 201 | 13.98 | 64 | 4.45 | 64 | 4.45 | 908 | 63.14 | 1,438 |
| McKenzie | 4,305 | 80.60 | 659 | 12.34 | 192 | 3.59 | 185 | 3.46 | 3,646 | 68.26 | 5,341 |
| McLean | 3,466 | 63.67 | 1,094 | 20.10 | 305 | 5.60 | 579 | 10.64 | 2,372 | 43.57 | 5,444 |
| Mercer | 3,352 | 72.65 | 591 | 12.81 | 175 | 3.79 | 496 | 10.75 | 2,761 | 59.84 | 4,614 |
| Morton | 10,254 | 62.73 | 3,341 | 20.44 | 865 | 5.29 | 1,886 | 11.54 | 6,913 | 42.29 | 16,346 |
| Mountrail | 2,691 | 65.27 | 1,072 | 26.00 | 170 | 4.12 | 190 | 4.61 | 1,619 | 39.27 | 4,123 |
| Nelson | 1,192 | 67.08 | 504 | 28.36 | 40 | 2.25 | 41 | 2.31 | 688 | 38.72 | 1,777 |
| Oliver | 741 | 70.84 | 123 | 11.76 | 44 | 4.21 | 138 | 13.19 | 603 | 57.65 | 1,046 |
| Pembina | 2,451 | 74.27 | 625 | 18.94 | 91 | 2.76 | 133 | 4.03 | 1,826 | 55.33 | 3,300 |
| Pierce | 1,522 | 72.20 | 373 | 17.69 | 61 | 2.89 | 152 | 7.21 | 1,149 | 54.51 | 2,108 |
| Ramsey | 3,761 | 70.12 | 1,239 | 23.10 | 181 | 3.37 | 183 | 3.41 | 2,522 | 47.02 | 5,364 |
| Ransom | 1,603 | 65.56 | 693 | 28.34 | 97 | 3.97 | 52 | 2.13 | 910 | 37.22 | 2,445 |
| Renville | 1,064 | 80.97 | 168 | 12.79 | 43 | 3.27 | 39 | 2.97 | 896 | 68.19 | 1,314 |
| Richland | 5,458 | 70.34 | 1,963 | 25.30 | 236 | 3.04 | 102 | 1.31 | 3,495 | 45.04 | 7,759 |
| Rolette | 1,496 | 39.72 | 2,151 | 57.12 | 80 | 2.12 | 39 | 1.04 | -655 | -17.39 | 3,766 |
| Sargent | 1,414 | 68.64 | 571 | 27.72 | 53 | 2.57 | 22 | 1.07 | 843 | 40.92 | 2,060 |
| Sheridan | 516 | 64.91 | 101 | 12.70 | 43 | 5.41 | 135 | 16.98 | 381 | 47.92 | 795 |
| Sioux | 340 | 28.89 | 667 | 56.67 | 77 | 6.54 | 93 | 7.90 | -327 | -27.78 | 1,177 |
| Slope | 329 | 77.41 | 40 | 9.41 | 16 | 3.76 | 40 | 9.41 | 289 | 68.00 | 425 |
| Stark | 10,499 | 70.84 | 1,977 | 13.34 | 754 | 5.09 | 1,590 | 10.73 | 8,522 | 57.50 | 14,820 |
| Steele | 714 | 65.63 | 333 | 30.61 | 24 | 2.21 | 17 | 1.56 | 381 | 35.02 | 1,088 |
| Stutsman | 7,071 | 72.26 | 1,992 | 20.36 | 395 | 4.04 | 327 | 3.34 | 5,079 | 51.91 | 9,785 |
| Towner | 861 | 73.78 | 234 | 20.05 | 30 | 2.57 | 42 | 3.60 | 627 | 53.73 | 1,167 |
| Traill | 2,755 | 66.84 | 1,201 | 29.14 | 96 | 2.33 | 70 | 1.70 | 1,554 | 37.70 | 4,122 |
| Walsh | 3,461 | 72.96 | 975 | 20.55 | 120 | 2.53 | 188 | 3.96 | 2,486 | 52.40 | 4,744 |
| Ward | 20,295 | 72.51 | 5,587 | 19.96 | 1,262 | 4.51 | 847 | 3.03 | 14,708 | 52.55 | 27,991 |
| Wells | 1,606 | 68.57 | 356 | 15.20 | 98 | 4.18 | 282 | 12.04 | 1,250 | 53.37 | 2,342 |
| Williams | 10,548 | 75.48 | 1,689 | 12.09 | 665 | 4.76 | 1,072 | 7.67 | 8,859 | 63.40 | 13,974 |
| Totals | 235,479 | 65.84 | 90,789 | 25.38 | 13,853 | 3.87 | 17,538 | 4.90 | 144,690 | 40.46 | 357,659 |