Primary Rules
How North Dakota's Primary Works
North Dakota uses a Open Primary system
Open Primary
Any registered voter can vote in any party's primary, regardless of their own party affiliation or registration status.
Voter file data: L2 Data · Registration counts: North Dakota Secretary of State · Updated May 15, 2026
North Dakota Voter Registration
& Party Affiliation Statistics
Total Registered
465,118
Most Active Primary Party
Republican (42.95%)
Independent / NPP
28.29%
Primary Type
Open Primary
At a Glance
North Dakota at a Glance
Key voter registration statistics · Updated 2026
Registered Voters
465,118
across 53 counties
Registration Rate
83.3%
eligible population
Independent / NPP
28.29%
of registered voters
2024 Turnout
63.1%
of eligible voters
Primary Participation
Primary Ballot Participation by Party
North Dakota does not register voters by party. The breakdown below is modeled from recent primary ballot history.
Democratic28.76%
Republican42.95%
Independent/Other28.29%
| Party | Registered Voters | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
Democratic | 133,754 | 28.76% |
Republican | 199,766 | 42.95% |
Independent/Other | 131,598 | 28.29% |
Note: North Dakota does not collect party affiliation at voter registration. These figures are modeled from L2 voter-file analysis of which primary ballot each voter pulled in recent cycles — they reflect primary participation, not party registration.
Turnout
Voter Turnout in North Dakota
How many eligible North Dakota residents actually vote?
Eligible vs Registered
465,118 registered558,142 eligible
Recent Elections
| Election | Turnout | Voted |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 General | 63.1% | 371,975 |
| 2022 General | 41.8% | 242,566 |
| 2020 General | 63.1% | 364,251 |
| 2024 Presidential Primary | N/A — Caucus held | — |
| 2024 State Primary | 20.1% | 119,452 |
Independent voters deserve a voice.
Join thousands of Americans fighting for nonpartisan election reform. Get data-driven updates, not partisan spin.