Will some higher-profile statewide races lead to more people voting in North Dakota’s primary election?

Secretary of State Michael Howe hopes so. “Certainly, a lot of money has been spent,” Howe said.

North Dakotans have been getting fliers in the mail and ads on TV, radio and the internet especially in two races — the Republican races for governor and U.S. House.

Some districts also have competitive races for seats in the Legislature.

Those races will determine who is on the ballot in November. But for many local offices, Tuesday’s election is the last word.

“This is the only chance voters have to pick who’s going to lead their city, who’s going to lead their school board,” Howe said. “That’s why the June primary is so very important.”

Election Day is Tuesday but early voting began last week in some cities.

David Demarais of Fargo, a veteran election official, said Friday that so far turnout had been “disappointing,” as usual, being comparable to early voting in other primary elections.

He was happy with how the election system was working, with voters having the choice between a traditional paper ballot and an “express ballot” that uses a touchscreen and helps voters avoid errors but still produces a paper ballot.

“The work that has gone into this election is really great,” Demarais said.

He was working at the Fargodome, where early voting coincided with the Happy Harry’s RibFest.

Jessica Lawrence of Fargo came for RibFest on Friday and stayed for the voting.

She said U.S. House was the race she was most interested in and voted for Cara Mund.

Republican voters have five candidates to choose from for North Dakota’s only U.S. House seat.

Mund, an attorney and former Miss America, retired military veteran Alex Balazs, plastic surgeon and former state lawmaker Rick Becker, Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak, and Williston nurse Sharlet Mohr. Mohr has not been actively campaigning or taking part in debates.

The other high-profile race on the ballot is for the Republican nominee for governor. U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller are competing for the chance to replace Gov. Doug Burgum.

Burgum was first elected in 2016, defeating Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem in the June primary. That race helped bring out 24.5% of eligible North Dakota votes, which Howe said is on the high end of historical turnout in the primary election.

In 2022, the turnout was 18.8% of eligible votes.

As of this weekend, 40,277 North Dakotans had voted, either by absentee ballot or through early voting, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

There is little drama on the Democratic side of the ballot, though in the U.S. House, party-endorsed candidate Trygve Hammer is opposed by Roland Riemers, who has had several unsuccessful runs for office.

A nonpartisan office and a statewide measure also are on the ballot.

There are four candidates for state superintendent of schools: Incumbent Kirsten Baesler, Jim Bartlett, Darko Draganic and Jason Heitkamp. The top two vote-getters move on to the November general election.

Voters also will weigh in on a statewide ballot measure that would put a cap on how old a person could be and still represent North Dakota Congress.

This story was originally published on NorthDakotaMonitor.com