BISMARCK, ND – Political parties in North Dakota are conducting a presidential caucus and primary in the month of March. These are elections run by the NDGOP and ND DEM-NPL.
Secretary of State Michael Howe reminds everyone that the NDGOP and ND DEM-NPL Presidential Caucuses/Primary are not elections overseen by statewide election officials and no state election equipment will be used in that effort. The political party caucus/primary are being conducted by party officials and volunteers, and may also be using a third-party retained by the individual political organization.
The political party caucus/primary is focused only on the race of president. Due to this, it is likely that hand counting of ballots may be used as a tabulation method as there is only one contest. This may result in proponents of hand counting championing that it is a viable solution for North Dakota elections.
Secretary Howe reminds everyone that statewide election administrators are tasked with the responsibility of counting ballots accurately and keeping them safe. In a regular statewide election, a ballot may have up to 40 questions on the ballot. Ballot tabulators used by election officials in statewide elections provide both accurate counts and protection of paper ballots for all voters. As paper ballots are the only method of voting used in North Dakota, both traditional paper ballots and ExpressVote paper ballot cards are cast and counted in ballot tabulators.
Individuals interested in participating in the NDGOP and ND DEM-NPL Presidential Caucuses/Primary should reach out to the respective parties to participate. The NDGOP has scheduled its Presidential Caucus for March 4, 2024. The ND DEM-NPL has scheduled its Presidential Primary for March 30, 2024.
For more information regarding statewide elections, please contact the Office of the North Dakota Secretary of State at 701-328-5409.
News Release PDF - Political Parties Conducting Presidential Caucuses/Primary