national

FARGO--A new poll says Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are in a dead heat for North Dakota's three electoral votes.

The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead commissioned the poll earlier this month. It says 45 percent of the people who responded favored Obama, and 43 percent supported McCain.

The poll has a margin for error of 4 percentage points, and 12 percent of the people who replied said they were undecided.

Pollsters interviewed 606 North Dakotans who described themselves as likely voters from Oct. 6-8. The work was done by the Public Affairs Institute at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

A Democratic presidential candidate hasn't carried North Dakota since 1964.

At one time Obama had 11 offices in the state and more than 50 staffers. But the staffers pulled out almost a month ago. Earlier polls showed McCain well ahead.