BISMARCK, ND – North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe has determined that a recent request to fill a vacancy created in District 25 due to the death of Representative Cynthia Schreiber-Beck is not from an organized committee representing the district. A letter was received by the Office of the Secretary of State on June 18, 2025, from Ann B. Smith requesting the appointment of Terry Goerger to the District 25 House of Representatives seat.
According to information gained from the North Dakota Republican Party (NDGOP), District 25 has yet to formally organize, invalidating the requested appointment letter. Under North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) 16.1-03-07 (2), when a political party district committee selects officers, they forward the name and contact information of the chairman selected in the district to the political party state committee. As has been documented through various media reports and through a memo from the NDGOP, the NDGOP has not recognized a duly elected chairman or committee of the District 25 Republicans.
The Secretary of State cannot establish certainty as to the leadership of the District 25 Republicans, and therefore cannot issue a Certificate of Appointment, as the letter requesting the appointment is not from a chairman recognized in the district by the NDGOP.
Until there is an organized District 25 Republican committee and chairman, the Office of the Secretary of State will not issue a certificate of appointment to fill the vacancy in the House of Representatives from District 25.
This office will encourage the legislative assembly and both major political parties to examine state law and work within their parties to ensure certainty in their organizations for a consistent process in filling vacancies and issuing certificates of appointment and endorsement.
Below is correspondence from this office with Ms. Ann Smith, Senator David Hogue, Matthew Simon - Chair of the NDGOP, as well as a legal memo from the Office of the Attorney General.