North Dakota Law And Government

See also: List of North Dakota Governors, List of Lieutenant Governors of North Dakota, List of United States Senators from North Dakota, List of political parties in North Dakota, List of Secretaries of State of North Dakota, List of Attorneys General of North Dakota

The current governor of North Dakota is John Hoeven (Republican). Its two current U.S. senators are Kent Conrad (Dem-NPL) and Byron Dorgan (Dem-NPL). Its congressman is Earl Pomeroy (Dem-NPL).

North Dakota has a bicameral legislature. The state elects two House Representatives and one Senator from each of 47 districts apportioned by population. The legislature meets at the North Dakota State Capitol in an 80-day regular session in odd-numbered years, and in special session if summoned by the governor. See also: North Dakota Legislative Assembly, North Dakota Senate, North Dakota House of Representatives.

North Dakota's judiciary has a two-tier structure. Each of the 53 counties has a court, from which appeals are sent directly to the North Dakota Supreme Court. Because of the expense of having each county hire a judge, and the fairly low workload in smaller counties, the state is divided into seven judicial districts which collectively elect judges to travel to the various courthouses and hear cases.

District Judges are elected to six-year terms. Supreme Court Judges are elected to ten-year terms. The Supreme Court Chief Justice is selected every 5 years by vote of the District and Supreme Court Judges.

North Dakota's codified law is called the North Dakota Century Code (NDCC).

The major political parties in North Dakota are the Republican Party and the Democratic-NPL. North Dakota does have some third parties, but aside from Presidential nominations, none have fielded state office candidates for some time.

At the state level, the governorship has been held by the Republican Party since 1992, along with a majority of the state legislature and statewide officers. Dem-NPL showings were strong in the 2000 governor's race, and in the 2006 legislative elections, but the League has not had a major breakthrough since the administration of former state governor George Sinner.

The Republican Party presidential candidate usually carries the state; in 2004, George W. Bush won with 62.9% of the vote. Of all the Democratic presidential candidates since 1892, only Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Lyndon Baines Johnson received Electoral College votes from North Dakota.

On the other hand, Dem-NPL candidates for North Dakota's federal Senate and Congressional seats have won every election since 1982, and the state's federal delegation has been entirely Democratic since 1986.

John Burke, 10th Governor of North Dakota