Elections to the North Dakota Senate are scheduled to be held on November 3, 2026, to elect 24 candidates to serve a four-year term in the 70th and 71st North Dakota Legislative Assemblies. All senators in odd-numbered districts are up for re-election.
This election will take place alongside races for U.S. House, state house, and numerous other state and local offices.
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball January 22, 2026
Results By district District Incumbent Party Firstelected Result Primary election candidates 1st Republican 2014 Incumbent running for re-election. 3rd Republican Incumbent running for re-election. 5th Republican Incumbent retiring. 7th Republican Incumbent running for re-election. 9th Dem-NPL Incumbent lost renomination. 11th Dem-NPL Incumbent running for re-election. 13th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 15th Rep Incumbent lost renomination. 17th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 19th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 21st Dem-NPL Incumbent retiring. 23rd Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 25th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 27th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 29th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 31st Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 33rd Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 35th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 37th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 39th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 41st Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 43rd Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 45th Rep Incumbent running for re-election. 47th Rep Incumbent running for re-election.
Partisan background In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Republican Donald Trump won the most votes in 42 of North Dakota's state senate districts and Democratic—NPL nominee Kamala Harris won 5. Out of the 24 odd-numbered districts up for election in 2026, Trump won the most votes in twenty-one, and Harris won the most votes in three. There are no crossover districts, meaning no district is represented by a legislator of a different party than the presidential candidate who won the most votes there.
List of districts District 1 • District 3 • District 5 • District 7 • District 9 • District 11 • District 13 • District 15 • District 17 • District 19 • District 21 • District 23 • District 25 • District 27 • District 29 • District 31 • District 33 • District 35 • District 37 • District 39 • District 41 • District 43 • District 45 • District 47 __NOTOC__
District 1 The 1st district is represented by Republican Brad Bekkedahl, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Brad Bekkedahl, incumbent senator
District 3 The 3rd district is represented by Republican Bob Paulson, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Bob Paulson, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Michael Thiesen
District 5 The 5th district is represented by Republican Randy Burckhard, who declined to run for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Jay Fisher, state representative from this district (2018–present) Declined Randy Burckhard, incumbent senator
District 7 The 7th district is represented by Republican Michelle Axtman, who is running for re-election.https://www.kxnet.com/news/local-news/trio-of-candidates-announces-run-for-state-legislature/
Republican primary Nominee Michelle Axtman, incumbent senator Eliminated in primary Jerri Hopfauf, district Republican committee chairwoman
Endorsements
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Kevin Horneman
District 9 The 9th district is represented by Democrat Richard Marcellais, who is running for re-election.
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Jayme Davis, state representative from this district (2022–present) Eliminated in primary Richard Marcellais, incumbent senator
Endorsements
District 11 The 11th district is represented by Democrat Tim Mathern, who is running for re-election.https://www.inforum.com/news/north-dakota/tim-mathern-longest-serving-senator-in-north-dakota-legislature-announces-reelection-bid
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Tim Mathern, incumbent senator
Republican primary Nominee Christine O'Riley, psychologist
District 13 The 13th district is represented by Republican Judy Lee, who is running for re-election. She defeated right-wing populist Phillip Sallberg in the Republican primary.
Republican primary Nominee Judy Lee, incumbent senator Eliminated in primary Philip Sallberg
Endorsements
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Landis Larson
District 15 The 15th district is represented by Republican Kent Weston, who is running for re-election.https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/incumbent-lawmakers-from-northeast-north-dakota-announce-re-election-plans
Republican primary Nominee Kristin Kenner
Eliminated in primary Kent Weston, incumbent senator Judy Estenson, former senator from this district (2022–2025)
District 17 The 17th district is represented by Republican Jonathan Sickler, who is running for re-election.https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/jonathan-sickler-of-grand-forks-announces-his-candidacy-for-re-election-to-the-state-senate
Republican primary Nominee Jonathan Sickler, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Katie Benton
Endorsements
District 19 The 19th district is represented by Republican Janne Myrdal, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Janne Myrdal, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Jeff Hermanson
Endorsements
District 21 The 21st district is represented by Democrat Kathy Hogan, who is not running for re-election.
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Mary Schneider, state representative from this district (2014–present) Declined Kathy Hogan, incumbent senator
District 23 The 23rd district is represented by Republican Todd Beard, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Todd Beard, incumbent senator
Endorsements
District 25 The 25th district is represented by Republican Larry Luick, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Larry Luick, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Bob Heitkamp
District 27 The 27th district is represented by Republican Kristin Roers, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Kristin Roers, incumbent senator
District 29 The 29th district is represented by Republican Terry Wanzek, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Terry Wanzek, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee John Kelly
District 31 The 31st district is represented by Republican Donald Schaible, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Donald Schaible, incumbent senator Eliminated in primary Mary Graner
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Kelly Spilman
District 33 The 33rd district is represented by Republican Keith Boehm, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Keith Boehm, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Signe Snortland
District 35 The 35th district is represented by Republican Sean D. Cleary, who is running for re-election.https://www.kfyrtv.com/2025/11/04/nd-state-senator-sean-cleary-run-reelection/
Republican primary Nominee Sean D. Cleary, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Dale Pittman
District 37 The 37th district is represented by Republican Dean Rummel, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Dean Rummel, incumbent senator
District 39 The 39th district is represented by Republican Greg Kessel, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Greg Kessel, incumbent senator
District 41 The 41st district is represented by Republican Kyle Davison, who is running for re-election.https://www.inforum.com/news/fargo/davison-to-seek-reelection-in-district-41
Republican primary Nominee Kyle Davison, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Nyamal Dei
District 43 The 43rd district is represented by Republican Jeff Barta, who is running for re-election.
Republican primary Nominee Jeff Barta, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Mary K. Adams
District 45 The 45th district is represented by Republican Ronald Sorvaag, who is running for re-election.https://www.inforum.com/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-sen-ron-sorvaag-announces-bid-for-reelection
Republican primary Nominee Ronald Sorvaag, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Dan Mitchell
District 47 The 47th district is represented by Republican Michael Dwyer, who is eligible to run for re-election but has not yet stated if he will do so.
Republican primary Nominee Michael Dwyer, incumbent senator
Democratic–NPL primary Nominee Bill Patrie
References