The 2020 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the Governor and

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

of North Dakota, concurrently with other federal and statewide elections, including the

U.S. presidential election The election of the president and the vice president of the United States is an indirect election in which citizens of the United States who are registered to vote in one of the fifty U.S. states or in Washington, D.C., cast ballots not direc ...

. Incumbent Republican Governor Doug Burgum and Lieutenant Governor

Brent Sanford Brent Sanford (born December 23, 1971) is an American politician serving as the 38th lieutenant governor of North Dakota since 2016. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was Mayor of Watford City from 2010 to 2016. Career Sanford gr ...

were both re-elected to a second term.

Republican primary

The

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

held a state convention in the spring to endorse a single gubernatorial candidate. That candidate and his or her running mate were automatically placed on the primary election ballot. Endorsed candidates may or may not face competition from other candidates placed there by petition—as incumbent governor Burgum did in 2016. The winner of the primary appears on the general election ballot. All primary elections in North Dakota are open to all qualified North Dakota electors, regardless of party affiliation. The 2020 primary election was held on June 9.

Candidates

Nominee

* Doug Burgum, incumbent Governor **Running mate:

, incumbent Lieutenant Governor

Eliminated in primary

*Michael Coachman, U.S. Air Force veteran and perennial candidate **Running mate: Joel H. Hylden

Declined

* Wayne Stenehjem, North Dakota Attorney General *

Drew Wrigley Drew Howard Wrigley (born October 10, 1965) is an American attorney, lawyer, and politician from North Dakota. Wrigley currently serves as the attorney general of North Dakota after being appointed to the position by Governor Doug Burgum followin ...

, U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota

Results

North Dakota Governor Republican primary, 2020

Democratic-NPL primary

At the Democratic-NPL Party's virtual state convention on March 21, the party endorsed Shelley Lenz for governor and Ben Vig for lieutenant governor. As a result, they were automatically placed on the primary election ballot, where they did not face competition from other candidates. The primary election was held on June 9, entirely by mail and open to all qualified North Dakota electors, regardless of party affiliation.

Candidates

Nominee

* Shelley Lenz, veterinarian and former Killdeer school board member **Running mate:

Ben Vig Benjamin A. Vig is an American politician from North Dakota. He is a former member of the North Dakota House of Representatives and the Democratic Party nominee for lieutenant governor in the 2020 election. Vig graduated from Valley City Stat ...

, former member of the North Dakota House of Representatives

Declined

* Joshua Boschee, minority leader of the North Dakota House of Representatives * Heidi Heitkamp, former U.S. Senator * Erin Oban, state senator *

Mac Schneider McLain Joseph Schneider (born March 27, 1979) is an American attorney and politician who has served as the United States attorney for the District of North Dakota since December 2022. He previously represented the 42nd district in the North Da ...

, former minority leader of the North Dakota Senate

Results

Other candidates

Libertarian Party

Nominee

*DuWayne Hendrickson **Running Mate: Joshua Voytek

Results

General election

Predictions

Polling

;with Heidi Heitkamp

Results

Notes

; Partisan clients ; General notes

References

External links

* * * (State affiliate of the U.S.

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...

) * ;Official campaign websites
Doug Burgum (R) for Governor

Shelley Lenz (D) for Governor
{{North Dakota elections

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Governor North Dakota