How to vote in North Dakota
North Dakota voter registration guide
North Dakota voter registration rules
North Dakota does not have voter registration, but to be eligible to vote you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be 18 years or older on Election Day
- be a resident of North Dakota
- be a resident of the precinct for at least 30 days immediately preceding an election
- not be currently incarcerated for a felony conviction
- be able to provide a North Dakota driver's license, non-driver ID card, or a tribal ID that shows your current North Dakota residential address and your date of birth.
Voting in North Dakota with a felony conviction
If you have been convicted of a felony and would like to register to vote, please visit Restore Your Vote. They will help you determine your eligibility and guide you through the process.
North Dakota absentee and mail ballot guide
North Dakota absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
North Dakota absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): N/A
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 1 day before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 1 day before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked 1 day BEFORE Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received 1 day BEFORE Election Day
North Dakota absentee ballot rules
Any North Dakota resident can request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
North Dakota online ballot request
North Dakota does not allow you to request your ballot online.
North Dakota by-mail ballot request
- Download the North Dakota absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- The deadline to apply by mail is: Received 1 day before Election Day.
North Dakota in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is: 1 day before Election Day.
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a state-provided dropbox. Please check with your local election office if your county has a dropbox. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official dropbox.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked 1 day BEFORE Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received 1 day BEFORE Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
North Dakota absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot: You must include your North Dakota driver's license number, state ID number, or tribal ID number on your absentee ballot application. If you do not have one of these numbers, or if your ID has expired, you must include a photocopy of another government issued document that shows your name and your current North Dakota address. The signature that you provide on your application will be compared to the signature on your ballot affidavit envelope.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot: You must include your North Dakota driver's license, state ID, tribal ID, or a long term care ID. If you do not have a valid ID you can provide a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, check, or document issued by the federal, state, local, or tribal government.
North Dakota early voting guide
North Dakota early voting dates
- Early voting starts: Varies by county
- Early voting ends: Varies by county
What to bring
You must show a valid ID when you vote. Your ID must include your name, current address, and date of birth and must be issued by the State of North Dakota or a federally recognized tribe. If your ID does not include all of the necessary information, you will also need to show a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or a government document. If you are a student, you may bring a printed document issued by an institution of higher education containing the required information and date your residential address was established AND a student photo ID. You cannot use a US passport as your ID unless you are currently living overseas.
North Dakota voter ID guide
ID requirements for voting in person
You must show a valid ID when you vote. Your ID must include your name, current address, and date of birth and must be issued by the State of North Dakota or a federally recognized tribe. If your ID does not include all of the necessary information, you will also need to show a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or a government document. If you are a student, you may bring a printed document issued by an institution of higher education containing the required information and date your residential address was established AND a student photo ID. You cannot use a US passport as your ID unless you are currently living overseas.
ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot
You must include your North Dakota driver's license number, state ID number, or tribal ID number on your absentee ballot application. If you do not have one of these numbers, or if your ID has expired, you must include a photocopy of another government issued document that shows your name and your current North Dakota address. The signature that you provide on your application will be compared to the signature on your ballot affidavit envelope.
ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot
You must include your North Dakota driver's license, state ID, tribal ID, or a long term care ID. If you do not have a valid ID you can provide a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, check, or document issued by the federal, state, local, or tribal government.
ID requirements to register to vote online
N/A
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for North Dakota elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
North Dakota Secretary of State State of North Dakota 600 E Boulevard Avenue Dept 108 Bismarck ND 58505-0500
External resources
- North Dakota voter status lookup
- North Dakota absentee ballot tracker
- North Dakota polling place locator