Voter Turnout equals the total number of ballots cast (1 ballot per voter). The number of Eligible Voters is the Census Bureau's annual estimation of the number of North Dakota residents who are 18 years of age or older. The Voter Turnout Percentage is determined by dividing the Voter Turnout by the Eligible Voters.

A contest can be tracked by checking the box next to Track this Contest for that contest. Contests that have been selected to be tracked can be viewed by clicking My Tracked Contests at the top of the page or from the options available under the Menu.

Election results are considered unofficial until the meetings of the county canvassing boards (held six days after the election) and the meeting of the state canvassing board (held no more than 17 days after the election). After the county and state canvassing board meetings have occurred, the results become official for all contests that do not have the possibility of being recounted. The results for recounted contests are made official after the recount occurs and the appropriate canvassing board has reconvened.

All write-in votes are counted and included in the results. However, according to state law, write-in votes for any contest may only be separated by individual write-in candidate names when the number of write-in votes for the contest reaches a certain threshold. Complete guidelines regarding the counting of write-in votes are found in North Dakota Century Code Section 16.1-12-02.2.

Scattered write-in votes include unreadable, not qualified, or fictitious (e.g., Buzz Lightyear) names. A complete list of write-in votes that must be listed as scattered votes is found in North Dakota Century Code Section 16.1-12-02.2.

A contest that is within the automatic or demand recount thresholds (see below) will include an indication that states either Automatic Recount or Possible Demand Recount. All contests that may qualify for a recount can be viewed by clicking Possible Recounts under the Election Resources section at the bottom of the webpage or from the options under the Menu.

A question, measure, or bond issue must be recounted if it is decided by a margin of less than 0.25% of the total vote cast for and against the question

The rules for recounts of candidate contests vary slightly between a primary election and a general or special election.

Primary Election (Candidate Contests)

• Automatic recount – A recount must occur when any individual fails to be nominated by 1% or less of the highest vote cast for a candidate for the office sought.
• Demand recount – A recount may be requested by any individual who fails to be nominated by more than 1% and less than 2% of the highest vote cast for a candidate for the office sought.

General or Special Election (Candidate Contests)

• Automatic recount – A recount must occur when and individual fails to be elected by 0.5% or less of the highest vote cast for a candidate for that office.
• Demand recount – A recount may be requested by any individual who fails to be elected by more than 0.5% and less than 2% of the highest vote cast for a candidate for that office.