2016 North Dakota gubernatorial election

Summary

The 2016 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. This would have been the first time North Dakotans selected a governor under new voter ID requirements, in which a student ID was insufficient identification to vote,[1] but a court ruling in August 2016 struck the down the provision; the election was held under the 2013 rules.[2]

2016 North Dakota gubernatorial election

← 2012 November 8, 2016 2020 →
 
Nominee Doug Burgum Marvin Nelson
Party Republican Democratic–NPL
Running mate Brent Sanford Joan Heckaman
Popular vote 259,863 65,855
Percentage 76.5% 19.4%

Burgum:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Nelson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election

Jack Dalrymple
Republican

Elected Governor

Doug Burgum
Republican

The primaries took place on June 14. This is the first open seat election since 2000. Incumbent Republican Jack Dalrymple announced that he would not run for re-election to a second full term in office.[3] Doug Burgum (R) defeated Marvin Nelson (DNPL) in the general election to become the new Governor of North Dakota.

Background edit

In December 2010, Republican Governor John Hoeven resigned after being elected to the U.S. Senate. Jack Dalrymple, the lieutenant governor, was sworn in as governor and was elected to a full term in 2012. In August 2015, Dalrymple announced that he would not run for re-election to a second full term in office.[3]

Republican primary edit

The North Dakota Republican Party endorsed North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem at their April 2–3 state convention, however ballot access was actually determined by the June 14th primary election, which former Microsoft executive Doug Burgum won in an upset.[4]

Candidates edit

Endorsed edit

Other candidates edit

Withdrawn edit

Declined edit

Polling edit

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Rick
Becker
Doug
Burgum
Wayne
Stenehjem
Undecided
ND United/DFM Research[15] February 18–25, 2016 369[a] ±5.1% 10% 59% 31%
  1. ^ likely Republican primary voters

Republican State Convention edit

To endorse a candidate, delegates to the Republican state convention voted for one candidate in a series of rounds. After the first round, all candidates would remain on the ballot, but after subsequent rounds of voting, the recipient of the lowest number of votes would be removed. The first candidate to receive more than half the cast vote would receive the state party endorsement.

After no candidate received the majority in the first round, a second round of voting was completed, in which enough delegates voted for Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem to give him the endorsement without having to remove a candidate from the ballot or vote again.[16]

First Convention Ballot
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Wayne Stenehjem 769 47.97%
Republican Rick Becker 587 36.61%
Republican Doug Burgum 247 15.40%
Total votes 1,603 100.00%
Second Convention Ballot
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Wayne Stenehjem 823 51.50%
Republican Rick Becker 618 38.67%
Republican Doug Burgum 157 9.82%
Total votes 1,598 100.00%

Republican primary results edit

 
Results by county:
  Burgum—70–80%
  Burgum—60–70%
  Burgum—50–60%
  Burgum—40–50%
  Burgum/Stenehjem tie—40–50%
  Stenehjem—50–60%
Republican primary results[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Burgum 68,042 59.47%
Republican Wayne Stenehjem 44,158 38.59%
Republican Paul Sorum 2,164 1.89%
Republican Write-in 51 0.04%
Total votes 114,415 100.00%

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Endorsed edit

Declined edit

Results edit

Democratic-NPL primary results[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic–NPL Marvin Nelson 17,278 99.66%
Democratic–NPL Write-in 59 0.34%
Total votes 17,337 100.00%

Libertarian Party edit

Candidates edit

Endorsed edit

  • Marty Riske, businessman and former state party chairman[27]
    • Running mate: Joshua Voytek[8]

Results edit

Libertarian primary results[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Libertarian Marty Riske 1,088 99.36%
Libertarian Write-in 7 0.64%
Total votes 1,095 100.00%

General election edit

Debates edit

  • Complete video of debate, October 10, 2016 - C-SPAN

Predictions edit

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[28] Safe R August 12, 2016
Daily Kos[29] Likely R November 8, 2016
Rothenberg Political Report[30] Safe R November 3, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball[31] Safe R November 7, 2016
Real Clear Politics[32] Safe R November 1, 2016
Governing[33] Safe R October 27, 2016

Polling edit

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Doug
Burgum (R)
Marvin
Nelson (D)
Undecided
SurveyMonkey November 1–7, 2016 313 ± 4.6% 70% 27% 3%
SurveyMonkey October 31–November 6, 2016 288 ± 4.6% 68% 29% 3%
SurveyMonkey October 28–November 3, 2016 276 ± 4.6% 70% 27% 3%
SurveyMonkey October 27–November 2, 2016 260 ± 4.6% 69% 28% 3%
SurveyMonkey October 26–November 1, 2016 254 ± 4.6% 67% 30% 3%
SurveyMonkey October 25–31, 2016 279 ± 4.6% 68% 29% 3%

Results edit

North Dakota gubernatorial election, 2016[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Doug Burgum 259,863 76.52% +13.42%
Democratic–NPL Marvin Nelson 65,855 19.39% -14.92%
Libertarian Marty Riske 13,230 3.90% N/A
Write-in 653 0.19% N/A
Total votes 339,601 100.0% N/A
Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Watts, Adam; Lyden, Grace (March 9, 2016). "ID law may complicate voting for North Dakota students". Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  2. ^ Childress, Sarah (August 2, 2016). "North Dakota's Voter ID Law Is Latest to Be Overturned". Frontline. WGBH-TV. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Dalrymple won't run for re-election". KFGO. August 24, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Springer, Patrick (January 14, 2016). "Doug Burgum announces bid for North Dakota governor". Grand Forks Herald. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  5. ^ "Stenehjem to announce for governor next week". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  6. ^ "After two ballots, Stenehjem wins GOP nomination for ND governor's race". The Dickinson Press. Forum Communications. Forum News Service. April 2, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  7. ^ Nelson, TJ (April 3, 2016). "Stenehjem Announces Running Mate in ND Governor Race". KVRR.com. Red River Broadcast Co. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Nowatzki, Mike (April 8, 2016). "After criticizing Burgum, Sanford agrees to be his running mate". Jamestown Sun. Forum Communications. Forum News Service. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  9. ^ "State lawmaker from Bismarck running for governor". Grand Forks Herald. September 23, 2015. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  10. ^ Hageman, John (November 16, 2015). "Campbell announces he won't run for North Dakota governor". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  11. ^ Musland, Cally (August 25, 2015). "Congressman Kevin Cramer: "Timing isn't right for me to run for Governor"". KFGO. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  12. ^ "Former Secretaries". usda.gov. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  13. ^ Nowatzki, Mike (November 18, 2015). "ND treasurer Schmidt to seek fourth term, won't run for governor". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  14. ^ Nowatzki, Mike (September 28, 2015). "North Dakota Lt. Gov. Wrigley won't run for governor". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  15. ^ Nowatzki, Mike (March 1, 2016). "Poll finds Burgum trailing Stenehjem by large margin". Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Forum News Service. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  16. ^ "news". INFORUM.
  17. ^ a b c "North Dakota Secretary of State". ND Secretary of State. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  18. ^ Nowatzki, Mike (April 4, 2016). "Four races still unfilled". Jamestown Sun. Forum Communications. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  19. ^ Grossfeld, Max (March 23, 2016). "ND Gov. Candidate Nelson Chooses New Rockford Sen. Heckaman as Running Mate". KFYR-TV. Associated Press. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  20. ^ Nowatzki, Mike (September 9, 2015). "Heitkamp says she won't run for governor in 2016". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  21. ^ a b Haney, Don (January 29, 2016). "North Dakota democrat party leader says plenty of potential canidates [sic] for governor". KFGO. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  22. ^ a b Monk, Jim (March 3, 2016). "Sinner rules out gov. race; may not run for re-election to senate". KFGO. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  23. ^ Jacobson, Louis (January 23, 2015). "Democrats Have More Seats to Defend in 2015-2016 Governors Races". Governing. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  24. ^ Nowatzki, Mike (August 25, 2015). "Heitkamp: Decision on ND governor's race coming 'sooner rather than later'". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  25. ^ Nowatzki, Mike (November 3, 2015). "Former ND ag commissioner exploring run for governor". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  26. ^ "Vogel bows out of North Dakota governor's race". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  27. ^ "Fargo businessman to run for governor as Libertarian". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Forum Communications. Forum News Service. April 5, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  28. ^ "2016 Governor Race ratings". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  29. ^ "Elections 2015-16". Daily Kos. Retrieved October 15, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  30. ^ "Gubernatorial Ratings". The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  31. ^ "Our Final 2016 picks". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Archived from the original on October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  32. ^ "2016 Election Maps - 2016 Governor Races". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  33. ^ "2016 Governors Races Ratings & News". Governing Magazine. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  34. ^ "Official Results General Election". North Dakota Voting Information & Central Election Systems. North Dakota Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved January 2, 2017.

External links edit

  • Doug Burgum (R) for Governor
  • Marvin Nelson (D) for Governor