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 newspaper 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.