North Dakota House of Representatives seat · lines in effect since 2024
North Dakota Legislative District 12
A district of about 12,000 people, 24% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+38.3 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Mitch Ostlie (R) · won49.6%
- Bernie Satrom (R) · won49.4%
- Write-ins and other votes (OTH)1.1%
Unopposed.
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:13 PM ET
Where it sits among all 48 seats
Every North Dakota House of Representatives seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
23 races since 1968. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2024 | |||
| 2024 | Mitch Ostlie · Bernie Satrom (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Bernie Satrom · Mitch Ostlie (R) | Pam Musland (D) | 10.3 |
| 2016 | Bernie Satrom · Jim Grueneich (R) | Jessica Haak (D) | 2.1 |
| 2012 | Jessica Haak · Alex Looysen (DEM) | Lyle Hanson (D) | 3.1 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Joe Kroeber · Lyle Hanson (D) | Dallas Rosin (R) | 13.0 |
| 2004 | Joe Kroeber · Lyle Hanson (D) | Dwaine Heinrich (R) | 4.1 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Arlo E. Schmidt · Dennis Johnson (DEM) | Dewey Heckaman (D) | 8.9 |
| 1998 | Arlo E. Schmidt · Dennis Johnson (DEM) | Bruce Larson (D) | 4.6 |
| 1996 | Arlo E. Schmidt · Dennis Johnson (DEM) | David G. Sears (D) | 6.6 |
| 1994 | Dennis Johnson · Arlo E. Schmidt (REP) | Lorraine Allmaras (D) | 2.0 |
| 1992 | Lorraine Allmaras · Dennis Johnson (DEM) | Henning Jacobson (D) | 0.3 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1990 | Henning Jacobson · Bill Starke (D) | Dennis Johnson (R) | 2.1 |
| 1988 | Bill Starke · Vernon Thompson (D) | Mary Ann Cavanaugh (R) | 11.6 |
| 1986 | Bill Starke · Larry Klundt (D) | F. Greg Bauer (R) | 9.0 |
| 1984 | Bill Starke · Larry Klundt (D) | Roger Hill (R) | 2.1 |
| 1982 | S. F. Hoffner · Bruce Larson (D) | Roger Hill (R) | 14.5 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Bruce Larson · Roger Hill (DEM) | Gordon Smith (D) | 1.2 |
| 1978 | Joe Leibhan · Byron Langley (REP) | Bruce Larson (D) | 0.5 |
| 1976 | Byron Langley · Bruce Larson (D) | Joe Leibhan (R) | 5.0 |
| 1974 | Joe Leibhan · Byron Langley (REP) | James Swanson (D) | 1.2 |
| 1972 | Byron Langley · Joe Leibhan (DEM) | James Swanson (D) | 0.4 |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1970 | S. F. Hoffner · Richard Rocheleau (D) | Joe Leibhan (R) | 0.4 |
| 1968 | S. F. Hoffner · Joe Leibhan (DEM) | Helen C. Ferguson (R) | 3.1 |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 12
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 12's area in each.
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2016 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| President | R+36.5 | R+37.1 |
| U.S. Senate | R+67.2 | No race |
| Governor | No race | R+47.9 |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 48 seats. Small marks are other seats in North Dakota. The black marker is District 12.
Lower than 87% of seats.
Highest of 48 seats.
Higher than 57% of seats.
Higher than 60% of seats.
Lower than 83% of seats.
Less dense than 55% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 2525% college gradsR+37.4CountingDistrict 15
25% college gradsR+43.0CountingDistrict 24
28% college gradsR+32.4Not up in 2026District 20
32% college gradsR+40.2Not up in 2026
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET