Poll workers Rick Collin, left, and Donavon Hatzenbuhler direct voters to voting booths at the Bismarck Event Center during the primary election on June 9, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
BISMARCK (North Dakota Monitor) – Nearly 21% of eligible voters participated in North Dakota’s primary election, the Secretary of State’s Office reported early Wednesday.
There were 125,101 votes cast in North Dakota’s Tuesday primary, with about 41% of people voting early or by absentee and 59% of people voting on Election Day.
The counties with the highest voter participation were Billings, 55%; Grant, 49%; Logan, 47%; Oliver, 46%; Kidder, 45%; Mcintosh, 42%; and Sheridan, 42%.
The counties with the lowest turnout were Grand Forks, 12%; Rolette, 14%; Stark, 14%; Williams, 15%; Ward, 15%, McKenzie, 16%; and Mountrail, 18%.
Cass County, which led with early in-person voting, had overall voter participation of about 19%.
North Dakota typically has low turnout for primary elections. Turnout this year is slightly higher than recent years without a presidential race on the ballot.
This was the first year that absentee ballots were required to be received by Election Day, rather than postmarked by Election Day. Nearly 87% of mail-in and absentee ballots were returned, a higher rate than recent primaries.
The election results are considered unofficial until certified by county canvassing boards on June 22 and the State Canvassing Board on June 24.
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