North Dakota State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2024
North Dakota Legislative District 26
A district of about 17,000 people, 20% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+80.2 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Dale Patten (R) · won98.9%
- 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 47 seats
Every North Dakota State Senate 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
17 races since 1968; the seat changed party 1 time. 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 | Dale Patten (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2022 | |||
| 2022 | Dale Patten (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Joel Heitkamp (R)Flip | Jim Dotzenrod (D) | 5.6 |
| 2016 | Jim Dotzenrod (D) | Joel Heitkamp (R) | 2.4 |
| 2012 | Jim Dotzenrod (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Jim Dotzenrod (D) | Donnell Walstead (R) | 13.8 |
| 2004 | Joel Heitkamp (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 2002 special | Joel Heitkamp (D) | Norma Jean Kjos (R) | 22.8 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Jerome Kelsh (D) | Mark L. Johnson (R) | 14.0 |
| 1996 | Jerome Kelsh (D) | Pete Awender (R) | 15.5 |
| 1992 | Jerome Kelsh (D) | Dennis J. Schimke (R) | 18.0 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Jerome Kelsh (D) | Gary Asche (R) | 21.8 |
| 1984 | Jerome Kelsh (D) | James Smykowski (R) | 7.1 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Leroy Erickson (R) | Clayton Litchfield (D) | 30.7 |
| 1976 | James Smykowski (R) | Earl W. Anderson (D) | 1.2 |
| 1972 | James Smykowski (R) | Earl W. Anderson (D) | 0.8 |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1968 | Kenneth Morgan (R) | Ralph Dotzenrod (D) | 8.3 |
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 26
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 26'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 | 2018 | 2020 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | R+75.8 | No race | R+79.4 | R+78.5 |
| U.S. Senate | R+83.8 | R+60.2 | No race | R+73.7 |
| Governor | No race | No race | R+76.8 | No race |
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 47 seats. Small marks are other seats in North Dakota. The black marker is District 26.
Lower than 96% of seats.
Higher than 70% of seats.
Higher than 91% of seats.
Lower than 57% of seats.
Higher than 52% of seats.
Less dense than 87% 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 3624% college gradsR+70.5Not up in 2026District 2
24% college gradsR+73.5Not up in 2026District 33
26% college gradsR+67.9Held RDistrict 19
22% college gradsR+48.8Held R
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