Why It Matters
The appointment fills a legislative vacancy in North Dakota left by the death of a sitting state representative, while raising unresolved questions about how the Democratic-NPL Party can field a candidate in the District 11 House race this fall.
What Happened
Adam Goldwyn, chair of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party and a North Dakota State University professor, has been appointed to complete the remaining months of Fargo state Rep. Liz Conmy’s legislative term. Conmy died on April 25 in a plane crash in Minnesota while running for re-election to her seat.
The Dem-NPL District 11 executive committee selected Goldwyn, who has led the state party since 2023 and was a neighbor of Conmy’s, to serve through November 30. Goldwyn said he does not intend to seek election to the seat in the fall.
He explained that volunteering for the short-term appointment was a deliberate decision to protect future candidates from having the partial term count against their term limits. “We didn’t want to make someone who would have a long legislative career ahead of them use four years on a six-month term,” Goldwyn said.
District 11 chair Greg Clark said the committee prioritized finding someone who shared Conmy’s values and had a close personal connection to her. “To me, it was important to know that we have someone filling the rest of her term that knew Liz better than most,” Clark said.
The Ballot Complications
Conmy’s death came after North Dakota’s candidate withdrawal deadline for the June primary, leaving her name on the June 9 ballot. District leaders are encouraging voters to cast ballots for Conmy in the primary, though the Secretary of State’s Office has stated her name cannot carry forward to the November general election ballot. Democrats and the secretary of state’s office have disagreed on the proper process for replacing a candidate following a lawmaker’s death.
The Democratic-NPL Party did not submit a certified write-in candidate by the deadline ahead of the primary. Independent candidates, however, have until August 31 to file for the November 3 general election ballot.
Clark acknowledged the path forward remains uncertain. “As a district and as a state party, we’ve received various legal interpretations,” he said, adding that party leaders are still evaluating their options.
On the Republican side, Fargo resident Doug Sharbono filed last week as a certified write-in candidate for the District 11 House seat. Under North Dakota election rules, only votes cast for candidates certified by the Secretary of State’s Office are counted in legislative and statewide races.
By the Numbers
April 25 — date of the plane crash in Minnesota that killed Rep. Conmy
November 30 — end date of Goldwyn’s appointed term
June 9 — date of North Dakota’s primary election
August 31 — deadline for independent candidates to file for the November general election ballot
2023 — year Goldwyn became chair of the state Democratic-NPL Party
Additional Context
Goldwyn is married to Anastassiya Andrianova, a Democratic candidate running for a House seat in District 11 in the 2026 election cycle, adding a personal dimension to the appointment.
Conmy had been seeking her second term when she died. Her loss leaves Democrats navigating both a procedural gap and a competitive legislative district with limited time before the general election. The situation has highlighted gaps in North Dakota election law regarding mid-cycle candidate replacement following a death.
What’s Next
District 11 Democratic leaders say they expect to have a clearer picture of their options for the November ballot after the June 9 primary concludes. Party officials continue to review legal guidance on how to proceed with replacing Conmy as a general election candidate. Independent candidates have until August 31 to file, leaving a narrow window for Democrats to identify a path to keeping the seat competitive in the fall.