See main article: 2004 United States presidential election.
| Election Name: | 2004 United States presidential election in North Dakota |
| Country: | North Dakota |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2000 United States presidential election in North Dakota |
| Previous Year: | 2000 |
| Next Election: | 2008 United States presidential election in North Dakota |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2004 |
| Image1: | George-W-Bush.jpeg |
| Nominee1: | George W. Bush |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home State1: | Texas |
| Running Mate1: | Dick Cheney |
| Electoral Vote1: | 3 |
| Popular Vote1: | 196,651 |
| Percentage1: | 62.86% |
| Nominee2: | John Kerry |
| Party2: | North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party |
| Home State2: | Massachusetts |
| Running Mate2: | John Edwards |
| Electoral Vote2: | 0 |
| Popular Vote2: | 111,052 |
| Percentage2: | 35.50% |
| Map Size: | 300px |
| President | |
| Before Election: | George W. Bush |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | George W. Bush |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 2004 United States presidential election in North Dakota took place on November 2, 2004, and was part of the 2004 United States presidential election. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
North Dakota was won by incumbent President George W. Bush by a 27.36% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 12 news organizations considered this a state Bush would win, or otherwise considered as a safe red state. The state has voted Republican in all but five presidential elections since statehood. In 2004, George W. Bush defeated John Kerry with 62.86% of the vote, ven as incumbent Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan overwhelmingly won re-election to the senate on the same ballot. The state's population of about 650,000 is little changed from what it was 80 years ago, as North Dakota is one of seven states with the minimum of three electoral votes.
There were 12 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day.[1]
| D.C. Political Report | ||
| Cook Political Report | ||
| Research 2000 | ||
| Zogby International | ||
| The Washington Post | Washington Post | |
| Washington Dispatch | ||
| Washington Times | ||
| The New York Times | ||
| CNN | ||
| Newsweek | ||
| Associated Press | ||
| Rasmussen Reports |
Bush won both pre-election polls with a double-digit margin.[2]
Bush raised $135,493.[3] Kerry raised $36,600.[4]
Neither campaign visited or advertised in this state during the fall campaign.[5] [6]
In 2000, Al Gore won two counties, compared to Kerry who won four counties in the state, including his best performance in Sioux County, where he won with seventy percent of the vote. Overall, Bush dominated the state, winning a wide majority of the state's counties, and with large margins. In just two counties – both majority Native American – did Bush obtain less than 44 percent of the vote. As of 2020, this is the last election in which the Republican nominee won Cass County by majority.
| County[8] | George W. Bush Republican | John Kerry Democratic-NPL | Ralph Nader Independent | Michael Badnarik Libertarian | Michael Peroutka Constitution | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| data-sort-type="number" | data-sort-type="number" | % | data-sort-type="number" | data-sort-type="number" | % | data-sort-type="number" | data-sort-type="number" | % | data-sort-type="number" | data-sort-type="number" | % | data-sort-type="number" | data-sort-type="number" | % | data-sort-type="number" | data-sort-type="number" | % | ||||||||||
| Adams | 915 | 70.88% | 353 | 27.34% | 15 | 1.16% | 3 | 0.23% | 5 | 0.39% | 562 | 43.54% | 1,291 | ||||||||||||||
| Barnes | 3,541 | 60.92% | 2,186 | 37.61% | 64 | 1.10% | 9 | 0.15% | 13 | 0.22% | 1,355 | 23.31% | 5,813 | ||||||||||||||
| Benson | 1,002 | 44.61% | 1,196 | 53.25% | 26 | 1.16% | 15 | 0.67% | 7 | 0.31% | -194 | -8.64% | 2,246 | ||||||||||||||
| Billings | 449 | 79.61% | 99 | 17.55% | 9 | 1.60% | 1 | 0.18% | 6 | 1.06% | 350 | 62.06% | 564 | ||||||||||||||
| Bottineau | 2,468 | 67.17% | 1,168 | 31.79% | 33 | 0.90% | 3 | 0.08% | 2 | 0.05% | 1,300 | 35.38% | 3,674 | ||||||||||||||
| Bowman | 1,280 | 74.59% | 397 | 23.14% | 29 | 1.69% | 3 | 0.17% | 6 | 0.35% | 883 | 51.45% | 1,716 | ||||||||||||||
| Burke | 808 | 69.36% | 336 | 28.84% | 13 | 1.12% | 5 | 0.43% | 3 | 0.26% | 472 | 40.52% | 1,165 | ||||||||||||||
| Burleigh | 26,577 | 68.47% | 11,621 | 29.94% | 489 | 1.26% | 78 | 0.20% | 48 | 0.12% | 14,956 | 38.53% | 38,814 | ||||||||||||||
| Cass | 39,619 | 59.39% | 26,010 | 38.99% | 732 | 1.10% | 234 | 0.35% | 112 | 0.17% | 13,609 | 20.40% | 66,711 | ||||||||||||||
| Cavalier | 1,522 | 62.27% | 887 | 36.29% | 29 | 1.19% | 1 | 0.04% | 5 | 0.20% | 635 | 25.98% | 2,444 | ||||||||||||||
| Dickey | 1,890 | 67.00% | 883 | 31.30% | 34 | 1.21% | 7 | 0.25% | 7 | 0.25% | 1,007 | 35.70% | 2,821 | ||||||||||||||
| Divide | 751 | 59.23% | 487 | 38.41% | 26 | 2.05% | 3 | 0.24% | 1 | 0.08% | 264 | 20.82% | 1,268 | ||||||||||||||
| Dunn | 1,178 | 66.40% | 571 | 32.19% | 16 | 0.90% | 2 | 0.11% | 7 | 0.39% | 607 | 34.21% | 1,774 | ||||||||||||||
| Eddy | 655 | 54.00% | 534 | 44.02% | 18 | 1.48% | 1 | 0.08% | 5 | 0.41% | 121 | 9.98% | 1,213 | ||||||||||||||
| Emmons | 1,449 | 68.58% | 611 | 28.92% | 43 | 2.04% | 9 | 0.43% | 1 | 0.05% | 838 | 39.66% | 2,113 | ||||||||||||||
| Foster | 1,219 | 69.03% | 518 | 29.33% | 20 | 1.13% | 6 | 0.34% | 3 | 0.17% | 701 | 39.70% | 1,766 | ||||||||||||||
| Golden Valley | 719 | 77.56% | 195 | 21.04% | 6 | 0.65% | 3 | 0.32% | 4 | 0.43% | 524 | 56.52% | 927 | ||||||||||||||
| Grand Forks | 17,298 | 56.77% | 12,646 | 41.50% | 348 | 1.14% | 137 | 0.45% | 41 | 0.13% | 4,652 | 15.27% | 30,470 | ||||||||||||||
| Grant | 952 | 76.65% | 264 | 21.26% | 16 | 1.29% | 4 | 0.32% | 6 | 0.48% | 688 | 55.39% | 1,242 | ||||||||||||||
| Griggs | 907 | 63.03% | 505 | 35.09% | 14 | 0.97% | 9 | 0.63% | 4 | 0.28% | 402 | 27.94% | 1,439 | ||||||||||||||
| Hettinger | 1,044 | 69.88% | 405 | 27.11% | 35 | 2.34% | 6 | 0.40% | 4 | 0.27% | 639 | 42.77% | 1,494 | ||||||||||||||
| Kidder | 902 | 65.89% | 433 | 31.63% | 20 | 1.46% | 7 | 0.51% | 7 | 0.51% | 469 | 34.26% | 1,369 | ||||||||||||||
| LaMoure | 1,592 | 68.18% | 712 | 30.49% | 17 | 0.73% | 5 | 0.21% | 9 | 0.39% | 880 | 37.69% | 2,335 | ||||||||||||||
| Logan | 844 | 74.69% | 265 | 23.45% | 15 | 1.33% | 2 | 0.18% | 4 | 0.35% | 579 | 51.24% | 1,130 | ||||||||||||||
| McHenry | 1,744 | 61.84% | 1,030 | 36.52% | 36 | 1.28% | 7 | 0.25% | 3 | 0.11% | 714 | 25.32% | 2,820 | ||||||||||||||
| McIntosh | 1,254 | 72.82% | 436 | 25.32% | 24 | 1.39% | 3 | 0.17% | 5 | 0.29% | 818 | 47.50% | 1,722 | ||||||||||||||
| McKenzie | 1,897 | 68.68% | 847 | 30.67% | 15 | 0.54% | 2 | 0.07% | 1 | 0.04% | 1,050 | 38.01% | 2,762 | ||||||||||||||
| McLean | 3,014 | 63.45% | 1,664 | 35.03% | 57 | 1.20% | 8 | 0.17% | 7 | 0.15% | 1,350 | 28.42% | 4,750 | ||||||||||||||
| Mercer | 3,285 | 71.17% | 1,245 | 26.97% | 68 | 1.47% | 8 | 0.17% | 10 | 0.22% | 2,040 | 44.20% | 4,616 | ||||||||||||||
| Morton | 8,325 | 65.90% | 4,073 | 32.24% | 191 | 1.51% | 31 | 0.25% | 13 | 0.10% | 4,252 | 33.66% | 12,633 | ||||||||||||||
| Mountrail | 1,527 | 50.40% | 1,465 | 48.35% | 30 | 0.99% | 6 | 0.20% | 2 | 0.07% | 62 | 2.05% | 3,030 | ||||||||||||||
| Nelson | 1,107 | 57.60% | 778 | 40.48% | 26 | 1.35% | 6 | 0.31% | 5 | 0.26% | 329 | 17.12% | 1,922 | ||||||||||||||
| Oliver | 790 | 70.60% | 310 | 27.70% | 15 | 1.34% | 1 | 0.09% | 3 | 0.27% | 480 | 42.90% | 1,119 | ||||||||||||||
| Pembina | 2,466 | 63.95% | 1,321 | 34.26% | 53 | 1.37% | 8 | 0.21% | 8 | 0.21% | 1,145 | 29.69% | 3,856 | ||||||||||||||
| Pierce | 1,475 | 67.20% | 686 | 31.25% | 24 | 1.09% | 2 | 0.09% | 8 | 0.36% | 789 | 35.95% | 2,195 | ||||||||||||||
| Ramsey | 2,943 | 60.06% | 1,885 | 38.47% | 58 | 1.18% | 9 | 0.18% | 5 | 0.10% | 1,058 | 21.59% | 4,900 | ||||||||||||||
| Ransom | 1,352 | 51.96% | 1,199 | 46.08% | 40 | 1.54% | 9 | 0.35% | 2 | 0.08% | 153 | 5.88% | 2,602 | ||||||||||||||
| Renville | 953 | 64.87% | 497 | 33.83% | 18 | 1.23% | 1 | 0.07% | 0 | 0.00% | 456 | 31.04% | 1,469 | ||||||||||||||
| Richland | 5,264 | 64.08% | 2,821 | 34.34% | 94 | 1.14% | 25 | 0.30% | 11 | 0.13% | 2,443 | 29.74% | 8,215 | ||||||||||||||
| Rolette | 1,392 | 34.42% | 2,564 | 63.40% | 66 | 1.63% | 15 | 0.37% | 7 | 0.17% | -1,172 | -28.98% | 4,044 | ||||||||||||||
| Sargent | 1,147 | 52.14% | 1,021 | 46.41% | 28 | 1.27% | 4 | 0.18% | 0 | 0.00% | 126 | 5.73% | 2,200 | ||||||||||||||
| Sheridan | 727 | 77.01% | 200 | 21.19% | 12 | 1.27% | 4 | 0.42% | 1 | 0.11% | 527 | 55.82% | 944 | ||||||||||||||
| Sioux | 319 | 27.98% | 804 | 70.53% | 12 | 1.05% | 2 | 0.18% | 3 | 0.26% | -485 | -42.55% | 1,140 | ||||||||||||||
| Slope | 335 | 77.55% | 89 | 20.60% | 5 | 1.16% | 2 | 0.46% | 1 | 0.23% | 246 | 56.95% | 432 | ||||||||||||||
| Stark | 7,220 | 69.42% | 3,013 | 28.97% | 126 | 1.21% | 19 | 0.18% | 22 | 0.21% | 4,207 | 40.45% | 10,400 | ||||||||||||||
| Steele | 586 | 48.31% | 616 | 50.78% | 7 | 0.58% | 2 | 0.16% | 2 | 0.16% | -30 | -2.47% | 1,213 | ||||||||||||||
| Stutsman | 6,517 | 64.38% | 3,438 | 33.97% | 135 | 1.33% | 19 | 0.19% | 13 | 0.13% | 3,079 | 30.41% | 10,122 | ||||||||||||||
| Towner | 754 | 54.21% | 606 | 43.57% | 25 | 1.80% | 2 | 0.14% | 4 | 0.29% | 148 | 10.64% | 1,391 | ||||||||||||||
| Traill | 2,543 | 59.86% | 1,651 | 38.87% | 43 | 1.01% | 6 | 0.14% | 5 | 0.12% | 892 | 20.99% | 4,248 | ||||||||||||||
| Walsh | 3,194 | 61.59% | 1,905 | 36.73% | 61 | 1.18% | 17 | 0.33% | 9 | 0.17% | 1,289 | 24.86% | 5,186 | ||||||||||||||
| Ward | 17,008 | 66.41% | 8,236 | 32.16% | 276 | 1.08% | 60 | 0.23% | 32 | 0.12% | 8,772 | 34.25% | 25,612 | ||||||||||||||
| Wells | 1,654 | 64.58% | 858 | 33.50% | 35 | 1.37% | 3 | 0.12% | 9 | 0.35% | 796 | 31.08% | 2,561 | ||||||||||||||
| Williams | 6,278 | 70.31% | 2,512 | 28.13% | 109 | 1.22% | 18 | 0.20% | 12 | 0.13% | 3,766 | 42.18% | 8,929 | ||||||||||||||
| Totals | 196,651 | 62.86% | 111,052 | 35.50% | 3,756 | 1.20% | 851 | 0.27% | 514 | 0.16% | 85,599 | 27.36% | 312,833 | ||||||||||||||
Due to the state's low population, only one congressional district is allocated. This district is called the At-Large district, because it covers the entire state, and thus is equivalent to the statewide election results.
See main article: List of 2004 United States presidential electors.
Technically the voters of ND cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. ND is allocated 3 electors because it has 1 congressional district and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 3 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 3 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 13, 2004, to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All were pledged to and voted for Bush and Cheney:[9]