N.D. Cent. Code § 46-06-03
The county auditor shall place the name of a newspaper upon the primary election ballot if the newspaper is qualified to serve as the official newspaper within the county and if, before four p.m. of the sixty-fourth day prior to the primary election, an application asking that the name of the newspaper be placed upon the ballot to be voted upon for nomination as official newspaper of the county and an affidavit indicating the newspaper meets all of the requirements of an official newspaper pursuant to sections 46-05-01 and 46-06-02 are filed with the county auditor by a person, partnership, corporation, or limited liability company owning or operating the newspaper. The county auditor shall endorse upon the application the name of the newspaper and the date upon which the application is filed.
N.D.C.C. § 46-06-03