2026 North Dakota Secretary of State election

For related races, see 2026 United States secretary of state elections.

2026 North Dakota Secretary of State election

November 3, 2026

Nominee Michael Howe Ryan Braunberger Party Republican Democratic–NPL

Incumbent Secretary of State Michael Howe Republican

An election is scheduled to be held in the U.S. State of North Dakota on November 3, 2026 to elect the North Dakota Secretary of State to a four-year term. A partisan primary election was held on June 9, 2026.

Incumbent Republican secretary of State Michael Howe is running for re-election. He only faces write-in opposition in the Republican primary, and will likely face presumptive Democratic–NPL nominee and state senator Ryan Braunberger. Howe was first elected in 2022 with 63.21 percent of the vote. North Dakota leans heavily Republican, with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump winning the state with 66.96 percent of the vote in 2024.

This election will take place alongside races for U.S. House, state house, state senate, and numerous other state and local offices.

Republican primary

Presumptive nominee

• Michael Howe, incumbent secretary of state

Endorsements

Declined to endorse

Political parties

• North Dakota Republican Party

Results

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Michael Howe (incumbent)	74,102	99.6
	Write-in		329	0.4
Total votes			74,431	100.0

Democratic–NPL primary

Presumptive nominee

• Ryan Braunberger, state senator from the 10th district (2022–present)

Endorsements

Ryan Braunberger

Political parties

• North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party

Results

Democratic–NPL primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic–NPL	Ryan Braunberger	34,180	99.8
	Write-in		62	0.2
Total votes			34,242	100.0

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe R	April 11, 2026