North Dakota State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2024
North Dakota Legislative District 36
A district of about 15,000 people, 24% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+70.5 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Desiree Van Oosting (R) · won99.1%
- Write-ins and other votes (OTH)0.9%
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. 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 | Desiree Van Oosting (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2022 | |||
| 2022 | Jay Elkin (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Jay Elkin (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 2016 | Kelly Armstrong (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 2012 | Kelly Armstrong (R) | Rich Brauhn (D) | 49.2 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | George Nodland (R) | Chuck Andrus (D) | 20.9 |
| 2004 | Herbert Urlacher (R) | Cindie S. Fugere (D) | 12.8 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Herbert Urlacher (R) | Kathy Kooren (D) | 29.7 |
| 1996 | Herbert Urlacher (R) | Mark B. Spitzer (D) | 23.2 |
| 1992 | Herbert Urlacher (R) | William Johnson (D) | 24.3 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Dean Jay Meyer (D) | Grant C. Brown (R) | 27.6 |
| 1984 | Dean Jay Meyer (D) | Tim Dwyer (R) | 20.2 |
| 1982 | Dean Jay Meyer (D) | Dale Greenwood (R) | 10.4 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Ralph M. Christensen (R) | Delmont Gaylen (D) | 21.0 |
| 1976 | J. Garvin Jacobson (R) | Dean Jay Meyer (D) | 4.3 |
| 1972 | J. Garvin Jacobson (R) | Herbert A. Thorson (D) | 18.0 |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1968 | J. Garvin Jacobson (R) | Halvor Rolfsrud (D) | 2.7 |
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 36
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 36'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+66.1 | No race | R+64.9 | R+68.5 |
| U.S. Senate | R+78.9 | R+46.2 | No race | R+65.3 |
| Governor | No race | No race | R+55.7 | 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 36.
Lower than 85% of seats.
Higher than 78% of seats.
Higher than 89% of seats.
Lower than 54% of seats.
Higher than 54% of seats.
Less dense than 70% 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 26North DakotaR+80.2Not 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