Early voting starts Monday in Stutsman County ahead of primary

Stutsman County voters can start marking ballots at the courthouse in Jamestown on Monday, giving residents a full week to vote before the June 9 primary. The courthouse will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 1-2, then from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, and again from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 4-5. The building will stay open over lunch, a practical window for people working downtown, running errands or leaving town before Election Day.

Absentee voting for the primary began April 30, and voters still may request an absentee ballot until 5 p.m. Monday, June 8. Those ballots must be returned to the auditor’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, June 9. North Dakota does not require voter registration, but voters must show valid ID at the polls or when voting absentee in person. Acceptable identification includes a North Dakota driver’s license, North Dakota non-driver ID, tribal ID or tribal letter, and a long-term care certificate.

Election Day voting in Jamestown will be at the Jamestown Civic Center. The American Legion in Medina will serve only precinct 472910. At the Civic Center, voters will need to use the north ground-level doors because the west and east doors will be closed. Parking will be split between handicap spaces on the north side and regular parking in the Jamestown Business Center lot, and the street between the Business Center and the Civic Center will be closed to vehicles for the day.

Stutsman County auditor Jessica Alonge said early voting gives residents more flexibility and can help people avoid lines or vote around travel plans. She also pointed to contested local races, including city council, parks and recreation and the school board, as reasons the June primary matters close to home. Her push comes as turnout remains modest: Stutsman County’s official 2024 primary turnout was 16.20%, with 2,795 ballots cast out of 17,245 eligible voters.

North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe has warned that June primaries continue to draw weak participation statewide. He said the state has averaged about 22% turnout in June primaries since 2000, and that nearly 80% of eligible North Dakotans typically stay home. Howe said 1,500 races and measures will appear on primary ballots statewide in 2026, underscoring how many local, partisan and ballot issues are at stake when voters head to the polls next week.