Lincoln residents participate in Burleigh County elections overseen by the Burleigh County Auditor's Office, the official election authority for the area. The office operates from 514 East Thayer Avenue, Room 203, Bismarck, ND 58501, phone (701) 222-6718, website https://www.burleighcountynd.gov/departments/auditor. Staff there manage voter registration, absentee voting, polling place operations, ballot preparation, and results reporting for all county, state, and federal contests affecting local voters. North Dakota stands apart from other states by not requiring voter registration.
Any qualified resident who has lived in their precinct for at least 30 days before an election can vote by showing valid identification at their polling place. Acceptable forms include a North Dakota driver's license, non-driver ID card, tribal government-issued ID, or other identification displaying the voter's name, current residential address, and date of birth. Voters whose ID lacks a current address can provide supplemental documentation. Military and overseas citizens participate through the Federal Voting Assistance Program. As an unincorporated community, Lincoln has no municipal government, meaning there are no mayoral or city council races. Residents instead vote in county, state legislative, and federal elections. Burleigh County holds contests for its five-member County Commission (commissioners serve staggered four-year terms), along with Sheriff, State's Attorney, Auditor-Treasurer, and other county positions. The county divides into five commission districts, with Lincoln falling within one of these districts based on its location. Residents can identify their assigned polling place by contacting the Burleigh County Auditor's Office or using the North Dakota Secretary of State's Polling Place Finder at https://vip.sos.nd.gov/PortalList.aspx. The state runs a Voter Information Portal at https://vip.sos.nd.gov where residents can locate polling sites, review sample ballots, and find election details. Precinct boundaries and polling locations sometimes shift, so checking before each election is recommended. During the November 2024 general election, Burleigh County saw strong turnout matching North Dakota's typically high participation. Approximately 68-72% of eligible county residents cast ballots in the presidential race, with county results generally favoring Republican candidates in statewide and federal contests. Detailed precinct-level outcomes for Lincoln-area polling places are available through the County Auditor's Office and the North Dakota Secretary of State website at https://results.sos.nd.gov.Current federal, state, and local election schedules, ballot contests, candidate filings, and certified results for Lincoln voters are published by the North Dakota Secretary of State Elections (https://www.sos.nd.gov/elections). However, 2026 will feature North Dakota's single U.S. The County Auditor can provide details on specific races and any local ballot measures. Absentee voting is available to any qualified voter in North Dakota. Applications can be submitted to the Burleigh County Auditor's Office starting approximately 40 days before an election. Voters may request absentee ballots by mail, email, fax, or through the state's online portal. Completed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day if mailed or delivered in person to the Auditor's Office before polls close on Election Day. Early in-person voting begins 15 days before Election Day at the Auditor's Office. Public election records in North Dakota include precinct-level results, candidate filing documents, and campaign finance reports. The North Dakota Secretary of State maintains these records at https://sos.nd.gov. Campaign finance disclosure reports for state and county candidates are searchable online, revealing contributions and expenditures. North Dakota doesn't maintain public voter lists due to its lack of registration, but polling place rosters showing who voted (not how they voted) become public after elections. Election related public records requests should be directed to the Burleigh County Auditor's Office or the Secretary of State's office depending on the specific document needed.