1980 North Dakota gubernatorial election Election for the governor of North Dakota For related races, see 1980 United States gubernatorial elections. 1980 North Dakota gubernatorial election ← 1976 November 4, 1980 1984 → Nominee Allen I. Olson Arthur A. Link Party Republican Democratic–NPL Running mate Ernest Sands Wayne Sanstead Popular vote 162,230 140,391 Percentage 53.6% 46.4% County results Olson: 50–60% 60–70% Link: 50–60% 60–70% Governor before election Arthur A. Link Democratic–NPL Elected Governor Allen I. Olson Republican Elections in North Dakota Federal government Presidential 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 1996 2004 2008 2016 2020 Republican 2004 2008 2012 2024 U.S. Senate 1889 1891 1893 1897 1899 1903 1905 1909 1911 1911 sp 1914 1916 1920 1922 1926 1926 sp 1928 1932 1934 1938 1940 1944 1946 1946 sp 1950 1952 1956 1958 1960 sp 1962 1964 1968 1970 1974 1976 1980 1982 1986 1988 1992 1992 sp 1994 1998 2000 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 2018 2022 2024 U.S. House 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1917 1st sp 1918 1920 1922 1924 2nd sp 1926 1928 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1963 1st sp 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 State government State elections 2006 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1921 (recall) 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Secretary of State elections 2018 2022 Attorney General elections 2022 State Treasurer elections 2024 State Auditor elections 2024 State Senate elections 2020 2022 2024 House of Representatives elections 2020 2022 2024 Ballot measures 2004 Constitutional Measure 1 2022 Constitutional Measure 1 Fargo City elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Mayoral elections 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2015 2018 2022 Bismarck City elections 2020 2022 2024 2026 Mayoral elections 2022 Grand Forks City elections 2020 2024 Mayoral elections 2020 2024 vte The 1980 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1980. The election pitted Republican State Attorney General Allen I. Olson against incumbent Democratic-NPL governor Arthur A. Link. Olson Defeated Link 54%-46% Primary elections[edit] Primary elections were held on September 2, 1980.[1] Democratic primary[edit] Candidates[edit] Arthur A. Link, incumbent Governor Results[edit] Democratic primary results[1] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic–NPL Arthur A. Link (inc.) 41,751 100.00 Total votes 41,751 100.00 Republican primary[edit] Candidates[edit] Allen I. Olson, North Dakota Attorney General Orville W. Hagen, former Lieutenant Governor Results[edit] Republican Party primary results[1] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Allen I. Olson 60,016 75.66 Republican Orville W. Hagen 19,306 24.34 Total votes 79,322 100.00 General election[edit] Candidates[edit] Allen I. Olson, Republican Arthur A. Link, Democratic Results[edit] 1980 North Dakota gubernatorial election[2] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Allen I. Olson 162,230 53.61% Democratic–NPL Arthur A. Link (inc.) 140,391 46.39% Total votes 302,621 100.0 Republican gain from Democratic–NPL References[edit] ^ a b c "Primary Election" (PDF). North Dakota Secretary of State. 1980. Retrieved November 3, 2018. ^ "General Election" (PDF). North Dakota Secretary of State. 1980. Retrieved November 3, 2018. vteElections in North DakotaGeneral 1950 1952 1953 1954 1956 1958 1959 1960 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1972 1973 1974 1976 1980 1988 1992 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 Governor 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1921 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. President 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate 1889 1891 1893 1897 1899 1903 1905 1909 1911 1911 (special) 1914 1916 1920 1922 1926 1928 1932 1934 1938 1940 1944 1946 (special) 1946 1950 1952 1956 1958 1960 (special) 1962 1964 1968 1970 1974 1976 1980 1982 1986 1988 1992 1992 (special) 1994 1998 2000 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 2018 2022 2024 U.S. House 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2020 2022 2024 See also: Political party strength in North Dakota vte(1979 ←) 1980 United States elections (→ 1981)President 1980 United States presidential election Democratic primaries Republican primaries Democratic convention Republican convention U.S.Senate Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Missouri Nevada New Hampshire New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Utah Vermont Washington Wisconsin U.S.House Alabama Alaska Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Governors Arkansas Delaware Indiana Missouri Lt. Gov Montana New Hampshire North Carolina Lt. Gov North Dakota Rhode Island Utah Vermont Washington West Virginia Statelegislatures Arizona Arizona House Arizona Senate Iowa Senate Minnesota House Senate Mayors Baton Rouge, LA San Diego, CA San Juan, PR