As the chief legal officer in the state, the attorney general represents and defends the interests of North Dakota and its people in both civil and criminal actions. Chapter 54-12 of the North Dakota Century Code outlines the specific duties of the office:
The current Attorney General is Republican Wayne Stenehjem. The Attorney General's office represents the state government in court cases and issues opinions of points of law upon request. Since the creation of the office by the state's constitution in 1889, the state has seen a total of 28 Attorneys General.
For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below: Incumbent Drew Wrigley and Timothy Lamb are running in the general election for Attorney General of North Dakota on November 8, 2022. Incumbents are bolded and underlined .
All 50 states have an attorney general who serves as the state's chief legal officer, responsible for enforcing state law and offering the state government advice on legal matters. In 43 states, the office is an elected post. There are currently 27 Republican attorneys general and 23 Democratic attorneys general.
As the chief legal officer in the state, the attorney general represents and defends the interests of North Dakota and its people in both civil and criminal actions. Chapter 54-12 of the North Dakota Century Code outlines the specific duties of the office:
North Dakota has a divided government where neither party holds a triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor and attorney general.
Article V, Section 4 of the North Dakota Constitution establishes the qualifications to hold the office of attorney general:
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $159,409 according to the Council of State Governments.
To be eligible to hold the office of governor or lieutenant governor, a person must be at least thirty years old on the day of the election. The attorney general must be licensed to practice law in this state.
The North Dakota Constitution establishes the office of attorney general in Article V, Section 2 :
The attorney general, along with the rest of North Dakota's state executive officers, is legally entitled to an annual salary in accordance with Title 54 of the North Dakota Century Code. Taking into account value adjustments, the statute contains compensation figures for the previous and current year only. The attorney general's pay may not be increased or diminished effective during the current term.
The North Dakota Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the North Dakota state government. The current Attorney General is Republican Wayne Stenehjem. The Attorney General's office represents the state government in court cases and issues opinions of points of law upon request.
The Attorney General is also responsible for gambling regulations (except horse betting), overseeing the state's lottery and charitable gaming, as well as the intergovernmental compacts related to Native American gaming within North Dakota.
The Office of the Attorney General oversees the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the office of the state Fire Marshall, and is charged with enforcement of the state open meetings and open records laws. The Attorney General is also responsible for gambling regulations (except horse betting), overseeing the state's lottery ...
The Attorney General issues opinions on questions of law related to matters involving state statutes, the state constitution, and matters having statewide significance. State law restricts who may request or receive an Attorney General’s Opinion. The Office of Attorney General enforces the Open Meetings and Open Records laws ...
The Attorney General' s Office. The Attorney General represents the state in all legal matters where the state is named as a party or the state may have an interest in the outcome of the litigation.
The Attorney General does not have jurisdiction over any other state or local government agency, local law enforcement agencies, or the county state's attorneys.
North Dakota Attorney General election, 2022. North Dakota is holding an election for attorney general on November 8, 2022. There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who: Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline. Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies.
BISMARCK — Any public official who holds office for as long as Wayne Stenehjem is bound to find supporters and detractors, but in the days since North Dakota's longest-serving attorney general died, observers from all political corners have remembered him as a principled man who left a deep mark on the state's government.
The public funeral for Stenehjem is set for 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3, at the Bismarck Event Center. Visitation will take place in Memorial Hall at the Capitol on Wednesday between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.