How to Run for Office in North Dakota
Congratulations! You're taking the next step in your community involvement. You don't need political experience to run for office. Caring about your community is the primary qualification.
Below you'll find a step-by-step guide on the basics, FAQs about running, and resources you can use to start your campaign.
If you're considering a run for elected office and live in the West Fargo area, join us for a free class on January 30.
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Before You Run
1. Find out more about running for office. Speak with people who have run for office to learn about what it's like to campaign. You can even email your elected officials and ask them what it was like when they ran.
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2. Make sure you qualify. Find the qualifications on the state's resource page.
3. Review the state's candidate page. The candidate page has all the information you need to know to run for office, including the voting & election laws, the election calendar, and the paperwork you need to file.
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If you are considering running for a partisan office, like a state legislator or governor, start by reaching out to your political party, so they can help you through the process.​
Submit Your Paperwork​
Certain forms are required depending on which office you're running for, and they can be found on the state's candidate page. Here are the main forms you may need to file:
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Statement of Interests: Your basic contact information and a list of your financial interests.
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Petition/Certificate of Nomination: Paperwork for gathering signatures from voters in your district to get your name on the ballot.
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Affidavit of Candidacy: Basic contact and district information. This one is required for county offices and up.
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Certificate of Endorsement: If you are being endorsed by a political party for a partisan office, you can complete this form instead of gathering signatures to get on the ballot.
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Submit your candidate forms January - April in the election year, but be sure to check the state's election calendar for the final deadline. City and county candidates submit paper forms to their local election office, while state candidates submit them through the state's online filing tool.
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Start Your Campaign​
Now you're ready to launch your campaign. The size and scope depends on the elected office you're running for and the population of the district you're running in.
In a larger city, you may have to campaign more, attend more events, meet more people, and ask for campaign donation. In a smaller town, you might know many residents and can simply chat with those you know about why you'd make a great elected leader.
Campaign Tips:​
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Ask friends and neighbors to volunteer and donate to your campaign
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Attend community events and introduce yourself to people you don't know
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Decide on the issues you'll highlight in your campaign and practice your 30 second elevator pitch about yourself and the issues
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Create your campaign website and social media accounts
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Check out our resources below for support in your campaign
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Remember to fill out our nonpartisan online voter guide on VOTE411.org. We'll send you an invitation to fill our our candidate questions about 4-6 weeks before the June State Primary & City Election Day that's in even-numbered years.
Women make up 51% of the people in the US, yet a majority of women have never imagined their power in elected leadership. We can change this together.
Share this page with a woman you know who'd be great in elected office to let them know you'd vote for them!
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Submit Your Campaign Finance Report​
Most candidates for public office in North Dakota are required to file a report of the campaign contributions they receive and a year-end report that includes their campaign expenditures. These reports help the public know where candidates' funding is coming from and how they spent their campaign funds.
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In North Dakota, candidates must report the total list of donations to their campaign and a list of the people who donate more than $200 during a reporting period. If someone contributes $100 to your campaign in March and $150 in April, you would report their name and information because they donated more than $200 total during the reporting period.
Campaign Finance Tips:​
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Set up a separate bank account for tracking your campaign dollars
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Recruit a volunteer to serve as your treasurer to track your campaign funds
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Create a campaign finance tracking spreadsheet
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Track your expenditures by these categories: Advertising, Campaign Loan Repayment, Operations, Travel, and Miscellaneous
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Track each contribution as you receive them: the contributor's name, address, date, amount of each contribution
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Include your own campaign contributions
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Submit a report even if you don't receive any contributions
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City and county candidates submit a paper form to their elections office, and candidates running for state legislature and up must use the state's online reporting system. Check the Secretary of State's page for your campaign finance reporting deadlines and for more information.
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Questions? Contact the state elections division at soselect@nd.gov.
Have you thought about running for office but didn't know which one is right for you?
Take the Quiz from She Should Run to find out which office is a good fit for you!
Run for Office FAQ​
How can I run for office if I'm not a politician?
You don't need to be a politician to run for office! Our school boards, city councils, park boards, and other elected offices are made up of North Dakota citizens like you who cared about their community or an issue and decided to run.
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Do I need a certain education or experience to run for office?
Nope! Usually the requirements are US citizenship, a certain age, and a residency requirement. For example: to run for school board, you need to be a US citizen, at least 18 years old, and have lived in your district for at least 30 days by Election Day.
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When should I prepare to run for office?
June 9, 2026 is the next State Primary and City Election Day. To run for office in that election, you can start collecting signatures on January 1, 2026, and your filing paperwork is due in April 2026. Start preparing now by talking to people who have run for office, watching public meetings, and attending local events to expand your network.
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Which North Dakota elected offices are nonpartisan?
If you'd like to run for a nonpartisan office, you can run for a county office, school board, park board, or a city-level office, like mayor or city council. Other offices that are nonpartisan are State Superintendent of Schools and judicial offices.
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How do I run for the North Dakota Legislature?
To run for the state legislature, reach out to your political party. These are the state political parties:​​
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The party endorsement process occurs at the district conventions which usually take place in January or February of the election year, and the candidate recruitment process starts even before then.​
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How many women are in the North Dakota Legislature?
Women make up half of the population of North Dakota yet hold 25% of the legislative seats. The encouragement and support of one person is all that many women need to consider running. You can tell the women in your life: "Have you considered running for public office? I'd vote for you!"
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How can I help a friend who is running for office?
A great first step is telling people you know about your friend and why they are running for office. You can help them with gathering signatures on their nominating petition, door knocking for them, providing food for their volunteers, or donating to their campaign. Learn more from Practical Kindness' resource flyer.
North Dakota Resources
The Secretary of State is the chief election official in the state and their website has the information you need to know about running for office, including qualifications, candidate calendar, campaign finance, and state election laws.​
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This one-day training by NDSU Extension is for aspiring, elected and appointed leaders serving on boards, councils, and committees. This training empowers citizens to be fully engaged in community leadership positions.
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A mentorship program through the ND League of Cities designed to connect newly elected or appointed officials with experienced city officials.
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The Women in Leadership Development program aims to empower women to become active leaders within their own communities.
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NDNV works to engage tribal members in constructing a representative democracy by working in reservation communities and urban areas to create and affect policy and equal representation for the Native people of North Dakota.​​​
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An 18-month dynamic leadership development program offered through NDSU Extension designed for those who are dedicated to strengthening the agriculture community, their community, and the state of North Dakota for the future.​​
National Resources
She Should Run is a national nonpartisan nonprofit working to increase the number of women considering a run for public office. Great resources to get you started:
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Ask Her Anything: Connect with a woman who has previously run for office for a 30-minute, one-on-one conversation.
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New American Leaders is a national nonpartisan organization that equips immigrants, refugees, and their allies with the tools they need to run for and hold elected office.
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Running Start is a nonpartisan nonprofit that provides young women with hands-on training to develop the confidence, connections, and capabilities that they need to run for office and win.
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The Campaign School at Yale University
TCSYale is a nonpartisan, issue-neutral campaign training program. They endeavor to increase the number and influence of women in elected and appointed office in the United States and around the globe.​​​​
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Vote Run Lead trains women to run for office. They have worksheets, videos, podcasts and more.
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We've compiled more how to run resources, such as organizations, guides, podcasts, and books.