A ‘congressional’ or ‘survey’ township is a unit of land defined by the Public Land Survey System.  It is six miles square and divided into 36 – 1 mile square sections.  This is the basis for legal descriptions of real property.

A ‘civil’ or ‘organized’ township is one or more congressional townships that has been organized under the provisions of the North Dakota Century Code Chapter 58-02.  It is governed by a board of three or five supervisors.  Other township officials include a treasurer, clerk, and assessor.  The treasurer and clerk may be a combined office.  Assessor services may be contracted from the county.

Only 15 townships remain organized in McKenzie County.  Several are larger than one congressional township.  The County Commissioners have the responsibility of a township board for the unorganized townships.

Townships are the government closest to the people.

Township annual meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each March.  These meeting are for all the residents of the township.  It is Election Day for township officers.  The budget is presented for the next year.  Upon approval, the property tax required to  fund it is determined and certified to the county auditor for levy.

A listing of the current township officials is at the link below.  This listing is updated annually by the County Auditor’s office when all townships have reported the results of their annual elections.

Also below is a link to the website of the North Dakota Township Officers Association which has a wealth of information regarding townships in North Dakota.

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