United States · Election results history · 2020 governors · North Dakota

Election 2020 Results

Each election opens in its own mode: the forecast before the votes are counted, the live count while races are still too close to call, and the results once every race is decided.

2020 North Dakota governor election

Doug Burgum (Republican) beat Shelley Lenz (Democrat) in North Dakota in 2020, 65.8% to 25.4%, a margin of 40.5 points and 144,690 votes.

The Republican hold continued from 2016, when Doug Burgum also won.

Republicans led in 51 of the 53 counties and other candidates in 2. The largest, Cass, cast 85,392 votes and went to the Republican by 59.3 points. The closest was Slope, where 233 votes separated the top two.

United States

Results

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Or set the national mood Turnout

Early projection, based on early and incomplete polling: the likely matchups, each weighted by the betting markets' odds of both nominations, not a result. Each county is its 2024 presidential margin moved by its state's projected swing; set a national vote and every state, district and county moves by the same amount from our projection. Colours run in 100 steps from a safe Republican to a safe Democratic margin. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

Governor

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Doug Burgum won	Republican	235,479	65.8%
Shelley Lenz	Democratic	90,789	25.4%
All other candidates		31,391	8.8%
Total		357,659

Every county

County	Republican	Others	Total	Margin
Cass	50,649 59.3%	34,743	85,392	R+59.3
Burleigh	31,067 62.1%	18,936	50,003	R+62.1
Grand Forks	19,150 62.8%	11,356	30,506	R+62.8
Ward	20,295 72.5%	7,696	27,991	R+72.5
Morton	10,254 62.7%	6,092	16,346	R+62.7
Stark	10,499 70.8%	4,321	14,820	R+70.8
Williams	10,548 75.5%	3,426	13,974	R+75.5
Stutsman	7,071 72.3%	2,714	9,785	R+72.3
Richland	5,458 70.3%	2,301	7,759	R+70.3
Barnes	3,775 68.4%	1,741	5,516	R+68.4
McLean	3,466 63.7%	1,978	5,444	R+63.7
Ramsey	3,761 70.1%	1,603	5,364	R+70.1
McKenzie	4,305 80.6%	1,036	5,341	R+80.6
Walsh	3,461 73.0%	1,283	4,744	R+73.0
Mercer	3,352 72.6%	1,262	4,614	R+72.6
Mountrail	2,691 65.3%	1,432	4,123	R+65.3
Traill	2,755 66.8%	1,367	4,122	R+66.8
Rolette	1,496 39.7%	2,270	3,766	Others
Bottineau	2,653 77.0%	792	3,445	R+77.0
Pembina	2,451 74.3%	849	3,300	R+74.3
McHenry	2,211 74.3%	764	2,975	R+74.3
Ransom	1,603 65.6%	842	2,445	R+65.6
Dickey	1,791 73.9%	631	2,422	R+73.9
Wells	1,606 68.6%	736	2,342	R+68.6
Dunn	1,711 74.1%	599	2,310	R+74.1
LaMoure	1,666 75.5%	541	2,207	R+75.5
Pierce	1,522 72.2%	586	2,108	R+72.2
Sargent	1,414 68.6%	646	2,060	R+68.6
Cavalier	1,551 77.1%	460	2,011	R+77.1
Emmons	1,375 70.3%	581	1,956	R+70.3
Benson	1,098 56.3%	854	1,952	R+56.3
Nelson	1,192 67.1%	585	1,777	R+67.1
Foster	1,317 75.0%	440	1,757	R+75.0
Bowman	1,254 76.7%	382	1,636	R+76.7
Kidder	928 64.4%	514	1,442	R+64.4
McIntosh	1,109 77.1%	329	1,438	R+77.1
Grant	964 70.3%	408	1,372	R+70.3
Renville	1,064 81.0%	250	1,314	R+81.0
Hettinger	923 71.7%	365	1,288	R+71.7
Adams	1,000 79.4%	260	1,260	R+79.4
Eddy	847 67.6%	406	1,253	R+67.6
Griggs	924 74.5%	317	1,241	R+74.5
Divide	918 76.8%	278	1,196	R+76.8
Sioux	340 28.9%	837	1,177	Others
Towner	861 73.8%	306	1,167	R+73.8
Burke	860 75.3%	282	1,142	R+75.3
Steele	714 65.6%	374	1,088	R+65.6
Logan	739 69.8%	320	1,059	R+69.8
Oliver	741 70.8%	305	1,046	R+70.8
Golden Valley	792 78.1%	222	1,014	R+78.1
Sheridan	516 64.9%	279	795	R+64.9
Billings	442 70.3%	187	629	R+70.3
Slope	329 77.4%	96	425	R+77.4

Margin: the Democrat's share of all votes minus the Republican's. Sources and how the results were checked.

North Dakota governor elections we hold

Year	Winner	Margin
2024	Kelly Armstrong (R)	R+42.3
2020	Doug Burgum (R)	R+40.5
2016	Doug Burgum (R)	R+57.1
2012	Jack Dalrymple (R)	R+28.8
2008	John Hoeven (R)	R+50.9
2004	John Hoeven (R)	R+43.9
2000	John Hoeven (R)	R+10.1
1996	Edward T. Schafer (R)	R+32.4
1992	Edward T. Schafer (R)	R+17.2
1988	George A. Sinner (D)	D+19.8
1984	George A. Sinner (D)	D+10.6
1980	Allen I. Olson (R)	R+7.2
1976	Arthur A. Link (D)	D+5.0
1972	Arthur A. Link (D)	D+2.1
1968	William L. Guy (D)	D+11.1
1964	William L. Guy (D)	D+11.5
1962	William L. Guy (D)	D+0.9
1960	William L. Guy (D)	D+5.0
1958	John E. Davis (R)	R+6.2
1956	John E. Davis (R)	R+16.9
1954	Norman Brunsdale (R)	R+28.4
1952	Norman Brunsdale (R)	R+57.5
1950	Norman Brunsdale (R)	R+32.6
1948	Fred G. Aandahl (R)	R+23.8
1946	Fred G. Aandahl (R)	R+37.8
1944	Fred G. Aandahl (R)	R+23.1
1942	John Moses (D)	D+15.2
1940	John Moses (D)	D+26.2
1938	John Moses (D)	D+4.9
1936	William Langer (other)
1934	Thomas H. Moodie (D)	D+6.4
1932	William Langer (R)	R+9.8
1930	George F. Shafer (R)	R+50.4
1928	George F. Shafer (R)	R+13.3
1926	Arthur G. Sorlie (R)	R+66.6
1924	Arthur G. Sorlie (R)	R+7.9
1922	Ragnvald Nestos (R)	R+57.6
1921	Ragnvald A. Nestos (R)	R+50.9
1920	Lynn J. Frazier (R)	R+2.0
1918	Lynn J. Frazier (R)	R+19.5
1916	Lynn J. Frazier (R)	R+60.8
1914	L. B. Hanna (R)	R+10.7
1912	L. B. Hanna (R)	R+9.4
1910	John Burke (D)	D+2.6
1908	John Burke (D)	D+2.6
1906	John Burke (D)	D+7.9
1904	Elmore Y. Sarles (R)	R+46.1
1902	Frank White (R)	R+27.8
1900	Frank White (R)	R+20.5
1898	Frederick B. Fancher (R)	R+18.4
1896	Frank A. Briggs (R)	R+55.6
1894	Roger Allin (R)	R+36.5
1892	Eli C. D. Shortridge (other)
1890	Andrew H. Burke (R)	R+17.7
1889	John Miller (R)	R+33.2

2020 North Dakota governor election

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