North Dakota Legislative Assembly Updates: 2026 General Election Results and What This Means for the 2027 Session

NOTE: All information is current as of 3:00 p.m. CT on November 8, 2026, with >95% of precincts reporting. We’ve included unofficial results below and will be making updates as final election results become available. Source: North Dakota Secretary of State – Election Results

The polls have closed – and the North Dakota Legislative Assembly that will convene for the 2027 session is taking shape.

Voters have weighed in on races up and down the ballot, including North Dakota’s at-large U.S. House seat, seven statewide offices, two constitutional measures, and 75 of the 141 seats in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly.

In our June primary results post, we laid out everything you needed to know heading into November – the incumbents who lost their primaries, the open seats, and the races to watch. Now, we have learned how these races played out.

As a reminder, North Dakota legislators serve four-year staggered terms, and the odd-numbered districts were on the ballot in 2026. That put 24 Senate seats and 48 House seats up for election, plus three House special elections (Districts 20, 26, and 42) to fill the remaining two years of unexpired terms.

Federal

U.S. House

• Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R) is projected to win re-election to North Dakota’s at-large U.S. House seat, defeating Trygve Hammer (D) 57.32% to 36.61% with >95% of precincts reporting. North Dakota did not have a U.S. Senate race in 2026.

Statewide

Republicans appear to have swept the partisan statewide offices on the ballot with >95% of precincts reporting:

• Secretary of State – Michael Howe (R) is projected to defeat Ryan Braunberger (D), 61.99% to 37.86%
• Attorney General – Drew Wrigley (R) is projected to defeat Tim Lamb (D), 63.79% to 35.99%
• Agriculture Commissioner – Doug Goehring (R) is projected to defeat Vern Thompson (D), 62.74% to 37.12%
• Tax Commissioner – Brian Kroshus (R) is projected to defeat Mark Nelson (D), 63.78% to 36.09%
• Public Service Commissioner – Sheri Haugen-Hoffart (R) is projected to defeat John M. Pederson (D), 61.21% to 38.61%
• Public Service Commissioner (Unexpired 2-Year Term) – Jill Kringstad (R) is projected to defeat Scot Kelsh (D), 61.73% to 38.10%
• Superintendent of Public Instruction (Unexpired 2-Year Term, nonpartisan) – Levi Bachmeier is projected to defeat Tracy Layne Foss, 62.75% to 36.70%

Constitutional Measures

Voters appeared to reject both constitutional measures on the ballot:

• Constitutional Measure No. 1 (raising the threshold to approve a constitutional amendment from a simple majority to 60%) – 43.52% Yes to 56.48% No with >95% of precincts reporting.
• Initiated Constitutional Measure No. 2 (funding of school lunches) – 49.39% Yes to 50.61% No with >95% of precincts reporting.

Legislative Assembly

Below, we break down the key Legislative Assembly results and what they mean for the balance of power in Bismarck.

Key Takeaways

• At least three seats have flipped from Republicans to Democrats – Remaining uncalled races could increase this count.
• At least one incumbent lost their seat – Sen. Jeff Barta (R) in District 43. Seven more incumbents lost their June primaries (Review analysis of June primaries).
• At least 27 seats will have new members in December – 5 in the Senate and 22 in the House. That includes three House members moving to the Senate and two former legislators returning to the Legislative Assembly.
• Republicans keep their supermajorities – Based on unofficial results, Republicans appear to hold 41 of 47 Senate seats (32 needed for a two-thirds majority) and at least 74 of 94 House seats (63 needed).
• Leadership turnover is coming – The House Majority Leader, House Minority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, and House Appropriations Chair all did not seek re-election, so both chambers will see new leaders in 2027.

Member Changes Since the Primaries

The Legislative Assembly has seen member changes since the June 9 primary.

Senate

• District 44 (Pt. Cass)

  • Sen. Josh Boschee (D), the Senate Assistant Minority Leader, won the June election for Fargo mayor and resigned from the Senate on August 4. Jamie Selzler (D) was appointed to the seat effective August 5. District 44 was not on the 2026 ballot.

House

• Districts 3, 7, and 25 – Primary Challenges Resolved

  • The North Dakota Supreme Court rejected a challenge from three Republican officials seeking to overturn the primary wins of Terry Goerger (District 25), Blaine DesLauriers and Timothy Mihalick (District 3), and Steve Sauter (District 7) over primary paperwork. All four won their November races.

ND Senate Results

Here is a quick look at the status of the ND Senate going into 2027:

• It is likely that there will be 41 Republicans and 6 Democrats, above the 32 seats needed for a two-thirds majority.
• 1 district appears to have flipped from Republican to Democrat (District 43), and none from Democrat to Republican.
• 5 districts will have member changes – the 2 seats where incumbents lost their primaries (Districts 9 and 15), 2 open seats filled by House members moving to the Senate (Districts 5 and 21), and 1 incumbent who lost on Tuesday (District 43).

ND House Results

Here is a quick look at the status of the ND House going into 2027:

• It appears that there will be at least 74 Republicans and 12 Democrats, pending any recounts – still above the 63 seats needed for a two-thirds majority.
• At least two seats appear to have flipped from Republican to Democrat (one in District 42 and one in District 43), while Democrats lead in two seats that had been held by Republicans in District 41.
• At least 22 seats will have member changes – 5 seats where incumbents lost their primaries, 16 open seats, and 1 incumbent who lost on Tuesday (Rep. Kathy Skroch in District 25).

New Faces in the 2027 Session

For government affairs teams, knowing who the incoming members are before they’re sworn in means relationship building can start now.

Here is the full list of anticipated new members, including the eight new members who were effectively decided ahead of Tuesday because they had no opponent for their seat in November.

Roboro will share detailed new member profiles in the coming weeks ahead of session – stay tuned.

New Members Who Ran Unopposed

Senate District 5 – Jay Fisher (R)

Rep. Jay Fisher (R) ran unopposed for the District 5 (Pt. Ward) Senate seat after Sen. Randy A. Burckhard (R) did not appear on the ballot. Fisher, who currently represents District 5 in the House, will move to the Senate for the 2027 session.

Senate District 9 – Jayme Davis (D)

Rep. Jayme Davis (D) defeated incumbent Sen. Richard Marcellais (D) in the June Democratic-NPL primary for District 9 (Pt. Benson, Pt. Eddy, Pt. Nelson, Pt. Pierce, Pt. Ramsey, Rolette). With no November opponent, she will move from the House to the Senate for the 2027 session.

Senate District 15 – Kristin Kenner (R)

Kristin Kenner (R) narrowly defeated incumbent Sen. Kent Weston (R) in the June Republican primary for District 15 (Pt. Cavalier, Pt. Ramsey, Towner). With no November opponent, she will join the Senate for the 2027 session.

Senate District 21 – Mary Schneider (D)

Rep. Mary Schneider (D) ran unopposed for the District 21 (Pt. Cass) Senate seat held by Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan (D), who did not seek re-election. Schneider will move from the House to the Senate for the 2027 session.

House District 9 – Duane Poitra (D)

Duane Poitra (D) and Rep. Collette Brown (D) were the only two candidates on the ballot for District 9’s two House seats (Pt. Benson, Pt. Eddy, Pt. Nelson, Pt. Pierce, Pt. Ramsey, Rolette). Poitra fills the seat left open by Rep. Jayme Davis’s move to the Senate.

House District 21 – Laura Dronen (D)

Laura Dronen (D) and Rep. LaurieBeth Hager (D) were the only two candidates on the ballot for District 21’s two House seats (Pt. Cass). Dronen fills the seat left open by Rep. Mary Schneider’s move to the Senate.

House District 23 – Corey Johnson (R)

Corey Johnson (R) and Rep. Dennis Nehring (R) were the only two candidates on the ballot for District 23’s two House seats (Pt. Williams). Johnson fills the seat held by Rep. Nico Rios (R), who was not on the November ballot.

House District 26 (Unexpired 2-Year Term) – Brent Schwan (R)

Brent Schwan (R) ran unopposed in the special election for the remaining two years of the District 26 (Pt. Dunn, Pt. McKenzie) House term held by Rep. Kelby Timmons (R), who was appointed in 2025 after Rep. Jeremy L. Olson (R) resigned.

New Members Decided in November

Between incumbent losses on Tuesday and open seats, it appears 22 more seats will include new members to the Legislative Assembly. The winners below are based on unofficial results as of 3:00 pm CT on Sunday. We will update this post once results are certified. North Dakota’s House districts elect two members each, so the top two vote-getters win.

Senate District 43 – Mary K. Adams (D) [FLIP]

Former Rep. Mary K. Adams (D) appears to have defeated Sen. Jeff Barta (R) in District 43 (Pt. Grand Forks), finishing ahead 54.71% to 45.17% with all precincts reporting. Adams previously represented District 43 in the House. If the results hold, this would flip the seat to Democrats.

House District 1 – Laurie Garbel (R)

Laurie Garbel (R) won the open seat in District 1 (Pt. Williams) with 1,895 votes, alongside Rep. David Richter (R)(1,992). Democrats Alex Johnson (692) and Steve Thoring (644) trailed. Rep. Patrick R. Hatlestad (R) was not on the November ballot.

House District 3 – Blaine DesLauriers (R) and Timothy Mihalick (R)

Blaine DesLauriers (R) (2,250 votes) and Timothy Mihalick (R) (2,243) won both seats in District 3 (Pt. Ward), ahead of Natalie Mclaughlin (D) (1,148) and Tara Hiatt (D) (1,125). DesLauriers and Mihalick defeated Rep. Jeff Hoverson (R) in the June primary, and Rep. Lori VanWinkle (R) was not on the ballot.

House District 5 – Roger Brabandt (R)

Former Rep. Roger Brabandt (R) won the open seat in District 5 (Pt. Ward) with 2,375 votes, alongside Rep. Scott Louser (R) (2,627). Democrats Zach Raknerud (1,474) and Kyle Erickson (1,340) trailed. The seat opened when Rep. Jay Fisher (R) ran for the District 5 Senate seat.

House District 7 – Greg Vetter (R) and Steve Sauter (R)

Greg Vetter (R) (4,144 votes) and Steve Sauter (R) (4,025) won both open seats in District 7 (Pt. Burleigh), ahead of Tiffany Williams-Rice (D) (1,862) and Jason Thoms (D) (1,785). Reps. Jason Dockter (R) and Matthew Heilman (R)did not seek re-election.

House District 11 – Anastassiya Andrianova (D)

Anastassiya Andrianova (D) (3,028 votes) appears to have won one of the open seats in District 11 (Pt. Cass). Doug Sharbono (R) is in the lead (with 2,063 votes) for the second open spot, which would flip one District 11 seat to Republicans. Rep. Gretchen Dobervich (D), the House Assistant Minority Leader, did not seek re-election, and Rep. Adam Goldwyn (D), who was appointed in May after the death of Rep. Liz Conmy (D), did not run.

House District 15 – Corry Kenner (R)

Corry Kenner (R) won a seat in District 15 (Pt. Cavalier, Pt. Ramsey, Towner) with 3,480 votes, alongside Rep. Kathy Frelich (R) (3,447), ahead of Frances Drury (D) (1,512). Kenner and Frelich defeated Rep. Donna Henderson (R) in the June primary.

House District 25 – Terry Goerger (R)

Terry Goerger (R) was the top vote-getter in District 25 (Richland, Pt. Sargent) with 3,387 votes, alongside Rep. Alisa Mitskog (D) (2,919). Rep. Kathy Skroch (R), who was appointed in September 2025 after the death of Rep. Cynthia Schreiber-Beck (R), finished third (2,255) and lost her seat. The seat will likely stay Republican.

House District 27 – Shawn Kessel (R)

Shawn Kessel (R) was the top vote-getter in District 27 (Pt. Cass) with 3,359 votes, alongside Rep. Greg Stemen (R)(3,126), ahead of independent Jolene Bruce (2,644). Rep. TJ Brown (R) was not on the November ballot.

House District 29 – Kevin Wolsky (R)

Kevin Wolsky (R) was the top vote-getter in District 29 (Foster, Griggs, Pt. Nelson, Steele, Pt. Stutsman) with 3,632 votes, alongside Rep. Craig Headland (R) (3,600), ahead of Dianne Norris (D) (1,999). He fills the seat of House Appropriations Chair Rep. Don Vigesaa (R), who did not seek re-election.

House District 33 – Mike Heger (R)

Mike Heger (R) won a seat in District 33 (Pt. McLean, Pt. Mercer, Pt. Morton, Oliver) with 4,795 votes, alongside Rep. Anna S. Novak (R) (4,852), ahead of Stacie Kruckenberg (D) (1,376) and Kimball Banks (D) (1,212). Heger and Novak defeated Rep. Bill Tveit (R) in the June primary.

House District 37 – Kylan Klauzer (R)

Kylan Klauzer (R) won the open seat in District 37 (Pt. Stark) with 2,234 votes, alongside Rep. Vicky Steiner (R)(2,355), ahead of Shelley Lenz (D) (1,111) and Susan Josephson (D) (664). He fills the seat of House Majority Leader Rep. Mike Lefor (R), who did not seek re-election.

House District 42 (Unexpired 2-Year Term) – Nicole Derenne (D) [FLIP]

Nicole Derenne (D) appears to have defeated Connie Osowski (R) in the special election for the remaining two years of the District 42 (Pt. Grand Forks) House term, finishing ahead 54.56% to 45.26% with all precincts reporting. Osowski defeated Rep. Dustin McNally (R), who was appointed in 2025 after Rep. Emily O’Brien (R) resigned, in the June primary. If the results hold, this would flip the seat to Democrats.

House District 43 – Tyler York (D) and Lukas Arthur Maughan (D) [1 FLIP]

Tyler York (D) (2,036 votes) and Lukas Arthur Maughan (D) (1,902) appear to have won both open seats in District 43 (Pt. Grand Forks), ahead of Mike Holmes (R) (1,567) and Jill T. Chandler (R) (1,541). House Minority Leader Rep. Zachary Ista (D) did not seek re-election, and Rep. Eric J. Murphy (R) lost the June primary. If the results hold, this would flip Murphy’s seat to Democrats.

House District 47 – Jon Lee (R)

Jon Lee (R) was the top vote-getter in District 47 (Pt. Burleigh) with 4,192 votes, alongside Rep. Mike Motschenbacher (R) (3,949), ahead of Rosann Jacobs-Fode (D) (2,298), Cole Montoya (D) (1,925), and independent Andrew Alexis Varvel (283). Rep. Lawrence R. Klemin (R) was not on the November ballot.

Returning Members with No November Contest

8 incumbents – 5 in the Senate and 3 in the House – had no opponent for their seat on the November ballot and will return to the Legislative Assembly in December:

• Sen. Brad Bekkedahl (R) (District 1)
• Sen. Todd Beard (R) (District 23)
• Sen. Kristin Roers (R) (District 27)
• Sen. Dean Rummel (R) (District 37)
• Sen. Greg Kessel (R) (District 39)
• Rep. Collette Brown (D) (District 9)
• Rep. LaurieBeth Hager (D) (District 21)
• Rep. Dennis Nehring (R) (District 23)

Currently Uncalled Races

• House District 11 (one seat): Doug Sharbono (R) v. Cara Cody-Braun (I)
• House District 13 (two seats): Jim Jonas (R) v. Austen Schauer (R) v. Maggi Gadaire (D) v. Brenda Jo Gillund (D)
• House District 17 (one seat): Reed Johnson (R) v. Don Aandal (D)
• House District 41 (two seats): Jennifer Benson (R) v. Stacy Heidenreich (D) v. Rich Slagle (R) v. Chris Tiongson (D)
• House District 45 (two seats): Carrie McLeod (R) v. Scott Wagner (R) v. Don Lippert (D) v. Ross Lockhart (D)

The Bigger Picture: What the Results Mean for the 2027 Session

• New Leadership in Both Chambers

  House Majority Leader Mike Lefor (R), House Minority Leader Zachary Ista (D), and Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan (D) did not seek re-election, so House Republicans and both Democratic caucuses will choose new leaders. The House will also have a new Appropriations Committee chair following Rep. Don Vigesaa’s retirement. Leadership elections, the election of a new Speaker, and the swearing-in of members take place at the organizational session in early December, where Gov. Kelly Armstrong will also present his budget proposal.

• Supermajorities Hold, With a Bigger Democratic Bench

  Democrats picked up seats in Fargo and Grand Forks, but Republicans are expected to keep two-thirds majorities in both chambers. Republicans can still override a veto without Democratic votes, though the Democratic caucuses will be larger in both the Senate and the House than they were in the 2025 session.

• New Faces = New Relationships

  With at least 27 seats changing hands, including incumbents who lost in June and on Tuesday, retirements, and open seats, the window to get ahead of the 2027 session is already open. Lawmakers take office December 1, and the regular session begins in early January. Knowing who the incoming members are and what issues they care about before they’re sworn in means lobbyists and government affairs teams can start building relationships today.

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Roboro provides legislative intelligence for advocacy professionals. All information is current as of 3:00 p.m. CT, 11/08/2026. Official election results will be updated as they become available.