State Capitol Bismarck (Sarah Heinrich, KFGO)
By: Michael Achterling
BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakota’s statewide office-holders up for reelection in 2026 are all running, though some haven’t made formal campaign announcements.
North Dakota voters will cast ballots for the offices of U.S. House, secretary of state, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, tax commissioner and two seats on the Public Service Commission, all positions held by Republicans. The nonpartisan positions of superintendent of public instruction and two seats on the North Dakota Supreme Court are also on the ballot.
Incumbent Julie Fedorchak is running for reelection to North Dakota’s sole seat in Congress. Republican Alex Balazs seeks to challenge her in the primary. Democrats Trygve Hammer, Vern Thompson and Helene Neville also have announced campaigns.
Secretary of State Michael Howe said he views his job as incomplete with changes still in the works to update the state’s online business filing portal.
“The work’s not done,” Howe said. “There’s just so much opportunity to make real change, and I think anyone who has interacted with our office noticed some very positive changes.”
He touted the new secretary of state website, campaign finance and statement of interest user portals as successes over the last few years.
Howe was elected secretary of state in 2022, defeating Democratic-NPL candidate Jeffrey Powell and independent candidate Charles Tuttle with 63% of the statewide vote. Previously, Howe represented the Casselton area in the North Dakota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2022.
Attorney General Drew Wrigley has been meeting with Republican voters at NDGOP district conventions.
He was appointed North Dakota attorney general by former Gov. Doug Burgum in 2022 after the death of former Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. Wrigley was elected attorney general that fall, defeating Democratic-NPL candidate Timothy Lamb with 71% of the statewide vote.
“I’ve worked hard to continue to maintain that support,” Wrigley said.
He said some of his successes as attorney general have been increasing transparency and accountability for the office, and reducing the backlog of tests at the state’s crime lab while adding firearms examiners to the forensic staff.
Wrigley previously served as U.S. attorney for North Dakota from 2001 to 2009 before becoming lieutenant governor of the state from 2010 to 2016. He again served as North Dakota’s U.S. attorney from 2019-2021.
Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus announced his reelection campaign last month.
Kroshus touted the new primary residence credit online application portal as one of his office’s achievements over the past four years.
He was appointed tax commissioner in 2021 by Burgum and ran unopposed during the 2022 general election. Kroshus previously served on the Public Service Commission, winning elections in 2018 and 2020.
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said he is running for reelection to the position he has held since 2009. Most recently, he defeated Democratic-NPL candidate Fintan Dooley in 2022 with 76% of the statewide vote.
Three Republicans, incumbents Sheri Haugen-Hoffart and Jill Kringstad, and challenger Deven Styczynski of Enderlin, are running for two seats on the North Dakota Public Service Commission. One position is a six-year term and the other is an unexpired two-year term.
Other than the U.S. House race, no Democratic-NPL Party candidates have formally announced challenges to statewide office.
Nonpartisan positions
New Superintendent of Public Instruction Levi Bachmeier is running for election to the position this year after being appointed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong to the role in October.
Bachmeier succeeded Kirsten Baesler after she became an assistant secretary with the U.S. Department of Education. The position is nonpartisan but candidates can seek letters of support from a political party.
Previously, Bachmeier served as the business manager of the West Fargo school district and was policy director and education policy adviser for Burgum from 2016 to 2019.
North Dakota Supreme Court Justices Jerod Tufte and Douglas Bahr both confirmed they are seeking reelection. Tufte is seeking a 10-year term on the state’s highest court while Bahr is running for an unexpired eight-year term after being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2023 following the retirement of Justice Gerald VandeWalle.
The state’s primary election is June 9 and the general election is Nov. 3.
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