North Dakota State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2024
North Dakota Legislative District 42
A district of about 19,000 people, 37% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+15.4 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Claire Cory (R) · won60.6%
- Rodney John Gigstad (D)39.1%
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
13 races since 1976; the seat changed party 4 times. 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 | Claire Cory (R) | Rodney John Gigstad (D) | 21.4 |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Curt Kreun (R) | Melissa Gjellstad (D) | 6.9 |
| 2016 | Curt Kreun (R)Flip | Mac Schneider (D) | 4.8 |
| 2012 | Mac Schneider (D) | Ross Lien (R) | 14.9 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Mac Schneider (D)Flip | Nate Martindale (R) | 12.8 |
| 2004 | Nick Hacker (R) | Michael Polovitz (D) | 0.9 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Michael Polovitz (D)Flip | Jerry Youngberg (R) | 3.1 |
| 1996 | Wayne Stenehjem (R) | Jennifer E. Ring (D) | 14.6 |
| 1992 | Wayne Stenehjem (R) | Tim Lamb (D) | 18.0 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Wayne Stenehjem (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 1984 | Wayne Stenehjem (R) | David Cole (D) | 21.1 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Wayne Stenehjem (R)Flip | Ralph H. Kolstoe (D) | 32.5 |
| 1976 | Charles Orange (D) | C. J. Thomforde (R) | 26.6 |
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 42
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 42'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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | R+15.3 | No race | R+11.4 |
| U.S. Senate | R+40.5 | D+5.7 | No race |
| Governor | No race | No race | R+26.5 |
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 42.
Higher than 70% of seats.
Lower than 74% of seats.
Higher than 83% of seats.
Higher than 54% of seats.
Higher than 98% of seats.
Denser than 54% 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 4544% college gradsR+12.9CountingDistrict 18
32% college gradsR+7.3Not up in 2026District 27
51% college gradsR+18.8Held RDistrict 41
42% college gradsR+6.7Counting
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