Candidates file for Jamestown, Stutsman County races ahead of primary

Power over Jamestown’s taxes, streets, parks and schools will be on the ballot June 9, with the mayor’s office, City Council, Parks and Recreation Commission and Jamestown Public School Board all headed to a primary that will shape daily life in the city.

By the 4 p.m. Monday, April 6, filing deadline, candidates had turned in the paperwork needed to enter races for Jamestown mayor, Jamestown City Council, Stutsman County Commission, Jamestown Parks and Recreation Commission and the Jamestown Public School Board. The June 9 primary will decide the Jamestown city races and the school board contests, while Stutsman County and District 29 House and Senate races will be settled in November.

The stakes are already visible in city hall. Jamestown City Council recently approved a $50 monthly meter fee for utility accounts that have not converted to radio-read water meters, and city officials said about 120 meters still need to be changed. The replacement project began in 2024, tying the election directly to utility costs, infrastructure work and how aggressively city leaders push capital projects.

School governance will also remain in the spotlight. The Jamestown Public Schools board currently includes Heidi Larson, Daniel Tweten, Melissa Gleason, Steve Veldkamp, Jamie Bear, Aaron Roberts, Jacob Meier, Jason Rohr and Owen McKenna. The board meets at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month in the Thompson Community Room at Jamestown Middle School, where members oversee policy, budgets and labor issues that can affect classrooms and staff across the district.

Voters will have several chances to weigh those choices before Election Day. Absentee voting for domestic residents begins April 30, and absentee ballots must be returned by the close of polls on June 9. Overseas ballots for UOCAVA voters are available starting April 24. Early voting in Stutsman County will run June 1-5 at the Stutsman County Courthouse, 511 2nd Ave. SE in Jamestown, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with hours extended until 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3.

On Election Day, county residents will vote at the Stutsman County Civic Center, 212 3rd Ave. NE in Jamestown, while precinct 472910 will vote at the American Legion in Medina. The Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce also will host candidate forums May 5 and May 7, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the North Dakota Farmers Union, giving voters a final public look at the people seeking authority over local budgets, services and priorities.