Voting in North Dakota’s Democratic presidential primary ends on Saturday, with President Joe Biden seeking to secure the state’s delegates. The primary was mainly conducted by mail from Feb. 20 to Saturday at noon CT, and voters were able to hand-deliver their ballots to a centralized drop-off point in Fargo. In-person voting was also available on select days to accommodate residents of Native American reservations. Despite losing the state’s caucuses in 2020, Biden is expected to win this time against seven other candidates.
In 2020, Bernie Sanders won North Dakota’s Democratic caucuses, but this time around, Biden is the favored candidate. The state party’s original plan to use ranked-choice voting was rejected by the Democratic National Committee, so the primary will use traditional vote-counting methods. On the Republican side, former President Donald Trump won the presidential caucuses in March 2020. Both Biden and Trump had already secured enough delegates by March 12 to unofficially secure their party’s nominations. Trump previously won North Dakota in the 2016 and 2020 general elections.
On Saturday, the party-run Democratic presidential primary will conclude, and mail-in ballots must be received by noon CT. The ballot includes Biden, Jason Palmer, Marianne Williamson, and other candidates. Only individuals who declare themselves as Democrats and did not participate in the Republican caucuses last month can vote. There is no voter registration system in North Dakota, and 13 pledged Democratic delegates are at stake in the primary, allocated based on statewide votes.
After polls close, the state party is expected to release one vote update, and the Associated Press will declare a winner based on that announcement. The primary is mostly conducted by mail, with limited in-person voting options available. The North Dakota Democratic Party has not held a similar event recently, so there is no comparison for turnout. However, in the 2020 caucuses, 14,413 votes were cast. The state party aims to provide final vote results on Saturday or Sunday evening, with a deadline for vote certification on Tuesday.
With 142 days until the Democratic National Convention and 220 days until the November general election, the primary marks a critical point in the voting process. Both Biden and Trump have solidified their positions as the presumptive nominees for their parties. The primary in North Dakota plays a crucial role in allocating delegates for the Democratic nomination, with Biden expected to add to his delegate count. The state party’s handling of the primary and vote counting process will determine the outcome and provide insights into voter engagement and participation. Stay tuned for updates on the results of the primary and the impact on the broader presidential election landscape.
