2024 North Dakota House of Representatives election explained

The 2024 North Dakota House of Representatives elections will be held on November 5, 2024, as part of the biennial 2024 United States elections.^[1] In January of 2024, Federal District Court Judge Peter Welte required North Dakota to substantially alter Legislative District 9 in response to a lawsuit by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the Spirit Lake Tribe. The tribes alleged that the House of Representatives districts established by the North Dakota legislature violated the voting rights act by preventing members of the Spirit Lake Tribe from electing a candidate of their choice to the legislature. The court-ordered new District 9, which the Turtle Mountain and Spirit Lake tribes had proposed, includes both the Turtle Mountain and Spirit Lake reservations. ^[2]

Partisan Background

In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump won the most votes in 41 of North Dakota's legislative districts and Democrat Joe Biden won 7. Out of the 25 districts with elections in 2024, Donald Trump won the most votes in 20 districts and Joe Biden won the most votes in 5. There are 3 Biden-won districts where Republicans held at least one seat going into the 2024 House of Representatives election: District 9 (Biden + 21%); Fargo-based District 46 (Biden + 0.2%); and Fargo-based District 10 (Biden + 4%). There is one Trump-won district where Democrats hold one seat going into the 2024 House of Representatives election: Grand-Forks-based District 18 (Trump + 3%).

Retirements

Democrats

1. District 18: Corey Mock is retiring.^[3]
2. District 44: Joshua Boschee is retiring to run for State Senate.^[4]

Republicans

1. District 6: Paul Thomas is retiring to run for State Senate.^[5]
2. District 15: Dennis Johnson is retiring.^[6]
3. District 24: Rose Christensen is retiring.^[7]
4. District 36: Gary Kreidt is retiring.^[8]
5. District 38: JoAnne Rademacher is retiring.^[9]
6. District 40: Randy Schobinger is retiring.^[10]
7. District 42: Claire Cory is retiring to run for State Senate.^[11]
8. District 46: Shannon Roers Jones is retiring.^[12]

Incumbents defeated

In primary election

Two incumbent representatives, both Republicans, were defeated in the June 11 primary election.

Republicans

1. District 8: Brandon Prichard lost renomination to Mike Berg and SuAnn Olson.^[13]
2. District 26: Kelby Timmons lost renomination to Roger Maki and Jeremy Olson.^[14]

Notes and References

1. Web site: North Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2024. May 9, 2024. Ballotpedia. en.
2. News: Judge orders new North Dakota legislative district for 2 Native American tribes . 16 June 2024 . CBS News . 9 January 2024.
3. News: Rep. Corey Mock will not seek Democratic-NPL nomination for re-election. April 3, 2024. KVLY-TV. May 9, 2024.
4. News: Dem-NPL announces District 44 endorsements, including one newcomer. April 3, 2024. InForum. May 9, 2024. The Dem-NPL endorsed Boschee for the district's North Dakota Senate seat..
5. News: District 6 representative to seek ND Senate seat. February 16, 2024. Minot Daily News. May 9, 2024.
6. News: Rep. Dennis Johnson serves his last term as the ND House of Representative from District 15. March 26, 2024. Devils Lake Journal. May 9, 2024.
7. News: Achterling. Michael. Rep. Cole Christensen’s grandmother appointed to fill his term in North Dakota Legislature. March 1, 2024. InForum. May 9, 2024.
8. News: Beach. Jeff. Achterling. Michael. Partisan fatigue among factors in lawmaker retirements. April 11, 2024. North Dakota Monitor. May 9, 2024. ND lawmakers not seeking reelection to the Legislature: Rep. Gary Kreidt, R-New Salem..
9. News: Achterling. Michael. Ward County woman to fill vacant House seat in North Dakota Legislature. January 11, 2024. News from the States. May 9, 2024. Rademacher is now the newest member of the North Dakota Legislature, appointed Wednesday by the District 38 NDGOP executive committee to finish the term of retiring 23-year lawmaker Rep. Larry Bellew, R-Minot..
10. News: Schramm. Jill. District 40 legislator won’t seek reelection. January 16, 2024. Minot Daily News. May 9, 2024.
11. News: Rep. Claire Cory announces bid for North Dakota Senate. February 26, 2024. Grand Forks Herald. May 9, 2024.
12. News: Nelson. TJ. Roers father-daughter legislative duo not seeking re-election. January 22, 2024. KVRR. May 9, 2024.
13. News: Beach. Jeff. Prichard to decline recount, likely losing House seat. June 12, 2024. North Dakota Monitor. June 12, 2024.
14. News: Beach. Jeff. Prichard to decline recount, likely losing House seat. June 12, 2024. North Dakota Monitor. June 12, 2024. The other district where there may be a recount is District 26 in western North Dakota, where Rep. Kelby Timmons finished third on the Republican ballot..
15. Web site: 24 ND Forecast . 2024-05-14 . projects.cnalysis.com.