Voters in Colfax are served by the Richland County Auditor's Office, which administers elections for all of Richland County including unincorporated areas. The Auditor is located at 418 2nd Avenue North, Wahpeton, ND 58075, and can be reached at (701) 642-7806. The office handles voter registration, absentee voting, polling place assignments, election administration, and the tabulation and certification of results.
Information about elections in Richland County is available through Richland County government website and the North Dakota Secretary of State's election portal at https://vip.sos.nd.gov. North Dakota stands alone among U.S. States in not requiring voter registration. Eligible residents can vote by showing identification at their polling place on Election Day. The state does, however, allow voters to update their information and verify their eligibility through the Voter Information Portal. To vote in North Dakota, a resident must be a U.S. Citizen, at least 18 years old on the date of the election, and a resident of the state for at least 30 days preceding the election. Voters must present valid identification showing their name, current residential address, and date of birth. Acceptable forms of ID include a North Dakota driver's license, non-driver ID card, tribal government-issued ID, or long-term care certificate. Because Colfax is an unincorporated community with no municipal government, there are no city council or mayoral elections specific to the area. Residents vote in county, state, and federal elections. Local voters are assigned to a precinct within Richland County, and polling place information can be obtained by contacting the Auditor at (701) 642-7806 or by using the North Dakota Secretary of State's Polling Place Finder at https://vip.sos.nd.gov.Current federal, state, and local election schedules, ballot contests, candidate filings, and certified results for Colfax voters are published by the North Dakota Secretary of State Elections (https://www.sos.nd.gov/elections). Richland County voters will also elect county offices including County Commissioner seats (the county has five commissioners elected to staggered four-year terms), and may see other county offices such as Sheriff, State's Attorney, Auditor, Treasurer, and Recorder on the ballot depending on the election cycle. Voters should check with the Richland County Auditor closer to the 2026 election for a complete list of races and any local measures. North Dakota offers absentee voting for voters who are unable to vote in person on Election Day. Absentee ballot applications can be submitted to the Richland County Auditor's Office by mail, email, fax, or in person. The application deadline is 4:00 p.m. On the day before the election. Absentee ballots can be returned by mail (must be received by the Richland County Auditor by the close of polls on Election Day) or delivered in person to the auditor's office. North Dakota does not have universal mail-in voting; absentee voting is available upon request but most voters cast ballots in person. Election records that are public in North Dakota include precinct-level election results, which are posted by the Secretary of State and county auditors following each election; candidate filing information, including statements of candidacy and nominating petitions; campaign finance reports for candidates and political committees, which are filed with and available from the Secretary of State's campaign finance portal at https://vip.sos.nd.gov/campaignfinance; and voter history data, though individual voter choices are confidential and ballot secrecy is strictly protected. The North Dakota Secretary of State's website provides election information, results, and candidate data for all state and federal elections.