2016 North Dakota gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2016 United States gubernatorial elections.

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%

County results Precinct results 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

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

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

Endorsed

• Wayne Stenehjem, North Dakota Attorney General^[5][6]
  • Running mate: Nicole Poolman, State Senator and wife of Jim Poolman^[7]

Other candidates

• Doug Burgum, former Senior Vice President of Microsoft and former Chairman & CEO of Great Plains Software^[4]
  • Running mate: Brent Sanford, Watford City Mayor^[8]
• Paul Sorum, architect
  • Running mate: Michael Coachman, human resources executive

Withdrawn

• Rick Becker, state representative^[9]

Declined

• Tom Campbell, state senator^[10]
• Kevin Cramer, U.S. Representative^[11]
• Jack Dalrymple, incumbent Governor^[3]
• Ed Schafer,^{[citation needed]} former Governor and former United States Secretary of Agriculture^[12]
• Kelly Schmidt, North Dakota State Treasurer (running for re-election)^[13]
• Drew Wrigley, Lieutenant Governor^[14]

Polling

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

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

 

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

Candidates

Endorsed

• Marvin Nelson, state representative^[18]
  • Running mate: Joan Heckaman, state senator^[19]

Declined

• Ellen Chaffee,^{[citation needed]} nominee for lieutenant governor in 2012
• Heidi Heitkamp, U.S. Senator and nominee for governor in 2000^[20]
• Tim Mathern, State Senator and nominee for governor in 2008^[21][22]
• Tracy Potter, former state senator, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010 and nominee for Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2012^[21]
• George B. Sinner, State Senator and nominee for North Dakota's at-large congressional district in 2014^[22]
• Ryan Taylor, USDA Rural Development State Director, former state senator, nominee for governor in 2012 and nominee for Agriculture Commissioner in 2014^[23][24]
• Sarah Vogel, former North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner and candidate for the North Dakota Supreme Court in 1996^[25][26]

Results

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

Candidates

Endorsed

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

Results

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

Debates

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

Predictions

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

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

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

• Benson (largest city: Fort Totten)
• McHenry (largest city: Velva)
• Pierce (largest city: Rugby)
• Ransom (Largest city: Lisbon)

See also

• United States gubernatorial elections, 2016

References

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. "Dalrymple won't run for re-election". KFGO. August 24, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
4. Springer, Patrick (January 14, 2016). . 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. 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. . 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. "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. Haney, Don (January 29, 2016). "North Dakota democrat party leader says plenty of potential canidates [sic] for governor". KFGO. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
22. 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. . 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. . 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