FARGO, N.D. — Democrats in south Fargo’s House District 11 have endorsed Cara Cody-Braun to carry their message to the November general election — but she will not appear on the ballot as a Democrat.
Why an independent run?
The endorsement follows the April 25 plane crash that killed Rep. Liz Conmy, who had been one of the two top vote-getters in the uncontested Democratic primary. North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe determined it was too late to remove Conmy’s name from the June primary ballot, and state election law prevented the party from naming a replacement on the November ballot.
Rather than attempt a write-in campaign in the June primary — an option Howe said could have produced a Democratic nominee if a write-in had received enough votes — District 11 Democrats chose to support Cody-Braun’s independent bid. Cody-Braun, a recent retiree from teaching originally from Mandan, said in a party news release she wants to "represent the needs of my Fargo neighbors and advocate for working families all across our great state."
"I want to represent the needs of my Fargo neighbors and advocate for working families all across our great state,"
Who’s on the ballot and key deadlines
At the time of the primary filing deadline there were no Republican House candidates on the ballot. However, Republican Doug Sharbono received enough write-in votes during the primary to appear on the November ballot. For the Senate race, Christine O’Riley is running as the Republican challenger to Sen. Tim Mathern, who is running for re-election.
North Dakota’s deadline for independent candidates to file paperwork for the Nov. 3 general election is Aug. 31. That leaves room for others to enter as independents in District 11 or other districts across the state.
- District: House District 11 (south Fargo)
- Endorsement: Cara Cody-Braun (will run as independent)
- Key deadline: Aug. 31 to file for Nov. 3 ballot
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 25 | Plane crash that killed Rep. Liz Conmy |
| June (primary) | Conmy and Anastassiya Andrianova received most primary votes |
| Aug. 31 | Deadline to file as independent for Nov. 3 ballot |
The decision reflects both the practical limits of state election law and the local party’s desire to present a unified ticket in November. Cody-Braun said she will campaign alongside the Democratic-NPL candidates in the district, including Sen. Mathern and House candidate Anastassiya Andrianova, even as she appears on the ballot without the party label.
For District 11 voters, the unusual sequence — a tragic vacancy, primary timing, and statutory constraints — means the fall campaign will be shaped as much by procedural limits as by candidates’ platforms. Voters who want to see additional independent campaigns listed on the ballot have until the end of August to file with the Secretary of State’s office.
