Minot – During Monday’s City Council meeting, officials voted to set August 5, 2025, as the date for a special election to choose Minot’s next mayor. The election follows the resignation of former Mayor Tom Ross, who stepped down earlier this month. His departure sparked a successful citizen-led petition to trigger the special vote.
Candidates in the Race
While candidates can still declare, four individuals have declared their candidacy to serve the remainder of Ross’s term, which concludes in June 2026:
• Mark Jantzer: Currently the acting mayor and council president, Jantzer has been a member of the city council since 2008. He emphasizes his experience and aims to focus on budgeting, key hires, and advancing projects like flood protection and the Northwest Area Water Supply (NAWS) .
• Rob Fuller: Elected to the council in 2024, Fuller advocates for transparency and community engagement. He has worked on lowering property taxes and seeks to ensure that tax dollars remain within the local community .
• Paul Pitner: Serving on the council since 2018, Pitner focuses on expanding the tax base to alleviate financial burdens on residents. He emphasizes the need to maintain and build upon existing city programs .
• Josiah Roise: A private citizen who initiated the petition for the special election, Roise identifies as a “constitutional mayor,” advocating for policies that align strictly with the U.S. Constitution .
Each candidate is required to collect at least 300 valid signatures within a 30-day window, which begins 94 days before the election date, to qualify for the ballot.
| Name | Status | Race |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Pitner | Collecting Signatures | Minot Mayoral Race |
| Josiah Roise | Collecting Signatures | Minot Mayoral Race |
| Lisa Olson | Not Running | Minot Mayoral Race |
| Rob Fuller | Collecting Signatures | Minot Mayoral Race |
| Mark Jantzer | Collecting Signatures | Minot Mayoral Race |
| Miranda Schuler | Not Running | Minot Mayoral Race |
| Shaun Sipma | Not Running | Minot Mayoral Race |
