The 1936 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1936. Former governor William Langer ran as an independent candidate after narrowly losing the Republican primary. He won a close three-way race with 35.80% of the vote against Republican nominee and incumbent governor Walter Welford and Democratic nominee John Moses.
This marks the first and only time to date that a North Dakota governor has returned to the office in a nonconsecutive election.
Primary elections
Primary elections were held on June 24, 1936.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- John Moses, former Mercer County State's Attorney
- Ole H. Olson, former Governor
- James F. Morrow
Republican primary
Background
In 1934, governor William Langer had been removed from office following his conviction in federal court on charges of conspiracy to defraud the federal govenrnment. Langer maintained his innocence and claimed he was a victim of a vendetta by his political rival Judge Andrew Miller, and he appealed the decision. Over the course of 1935, Langer battled his conviction in the courts. After he succeeded in overturning the original conviction, he was retried twice. The first trial resulted in a hung jury after the Judge Miller refused to step down following a recusal motion. Between the second and third trials, Lanier filed charges against Langer for committing perjury in his recusal motion against Miller. This trial, unprecedented on perjury in an affidavit requesting a recusal, resulted in a directed verdict to acquit Langer. The second retrial of the original charges, presided over by a judge other than Miller, resulted in Langer's acquittal.
Following his aquittal Langer ran for the Republican nomination against incumbent governor Walter Welford, who had ascended to the office following the removal of Governor Thomas Moodie following the revelation that he did not meet the residency requirement for the office.
Welford narrowly defeated Langer in the primary.
Candidates
- Walter Welford, incumbent Governor
- William Langer, former Governor
General election
Following his defeat in the Republican primary, Langer refused to drop out of the race and ran for the office as an independent.
Candidates
Major party candidates
- William Langer, Independent
- Walter Welford, Republican
- John Moses, Democratic
Other candidates
- Pat J. Barrett, Communist
- L. J. Wehe, Progressive