Speaking out: North Dakotans need to show up

Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Katie Winbauer I’m often reminded that my expectations are too high for the general public. This election was a disappointing reminder. kAmvC@H:?8 FA :? E9:D 4@>>F?:EJ[ x H2D E2F89E E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 G@E:?8] (6 G2=F6 4:G:4 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ] *6E[ H96? :E 42>6 5@H? E@ 6I6C4:D:?8 E92E C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ[ 72C E@@ >2?J }@CE9 s2<@E2?D DE2J65 9@>6]k^Am kAmyFDE c_T @7 6=:8:3=6 G@E6CD :? }@CE9 s2<@E2 42DE 2 32==@E =2DE H66< :? E96 86?6C2= 6=64E:@?] p44@C5:?8 E@ E96 $64C6E2CJ @7 $E2E6’D ~77:46[ E9:D H2D E96 =@H6DE EFC?@FE :? 2 86?6C2= 6=64E:@? :? E96 =2DE d_ J62CD]k^Am kAm{6E E92E D:?< :?] $:I @FE @7 6G6CJ `_ G@E6CD 5:5 ?@E A2CE:4:A2E6 :? E9:D 6=64E:@?] s6>@4C24J 56A6?5D @? >@C6 E92? c_T @7 6=:8:3=6 G@E6CD D9@H:?8 FA] p?5 :? 2== 9@?6DEJ[ G@E:?8 5@6D ?@E 6G6? E2<6 A9JD:42==J D9@H:?8 FA @? t=64E:@? s2J] (6 92G6 2>A=6 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ G@E6 3J >2:= @C E@ G@E6 62C=J] x G@E65 @? 2 $2EFC52J E9:D J62C H:E9 >J E@55=6C :? 92?5]k^Am People are also reading… Hundreds of North Dakota deer hunters request license refunds UPDATE: Wells County man, woman killed in crash involving semi identified Adams County man faces federal charges accusing him of sex crimes involving underage girls Bismarck man sentenced to prison after probation search reveals cocaine Fargo woman pleads not guilty to Burleigh County drug, escape charges Burgum, with tens of millions invested in AI, pushes for data centers on public lands McKenzie County woman pleads not guilty to charge stemming from death of her daughter South Carolina man, woman charged with theft from Bismarck man in internet scam Susan Smith seeks release 32 years after killing sons Morton County man sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to meth trafficking charges Both North Dakota constitutional ballot measures fail on Election Night RFK Jr. in Bismarck: Indian Health Service hospitals will follow new dietary guidelines UPDATE: Bismarck Public Schools’ $116.5M bond fails, falling short of 60% approval LaCoe, Munson, Splonskowski win Burleigh County Commission seats 2nd suspect in robbery, beating of Bismarck man sentenced to prison Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm(6 42??@E 6IA64E @FC DE2E6 2?5 4@>>F?:E:6D E@ C67=64E @FC 4@==64E:G6 G2=F6D 2?5 AC:@C:E:6D :7 >@DE @7 FD 2C6 F?H:==:?8 E@ 96=A D92A6 E96>]k^Am kAmp=E9@F89 E9:D H2D ?@E 2 AC6D:56?E:2= 6=64E:@?[ H6 925 :>A@CE2?E :DDF6D @? E96 32==@E] $E2E6H:56[ G@E6CD 564:565 ?@E E@ C2:D6 E96 E9C6D9@=5 7@C :?:E:2E65 >62DFC6D :? E96 4@?DE:EFE:@? @C A2J 7@C D49@@= =F?496D 7@C DEF56?ED] %96C6 H6C6 2=D@ >2?J 4@?E6DE65 C246D 36EH66? 42?5:52E6D 7@C DE2E6H:56[ =68:D=2E:G6[ ;F5:4:2= 2?5 =@42= @77:46D] x? q:D>2C4<[ G@E6CD ?2CC@H=J C6;64E65 E96 q:D>2C4< !F3=:4 $49@@=D 3@?5 C676C6?5F> H9:49 H@F=5 92G6 255C6DD65 724:=:EJ ?665D 24C@DD E96 4:EJ]k^Am kAm$A62<:?8 @7 E96 @FE4@>6 @7 E96 q:D>2C4< $49@@= q@2C5 3@?5 C676C6?5F>[ 3@?5 6=64E:@?D 56D6CG6 D@>6 2EE6?E:@? 2?5 492?86D] &?56C }@CE9 s2<@E2 =2H[ D49@@= 3@?5 >62DFC6D >FDE C646:G6 2E =62DE e_T DFAA@CE :? @C56C E@ A2DD] |@DE @E96C 32==@E >62DFC6D 2?5 4@?E6DED C6BF:C6 @?=J 2 D:>A=6 >2;@C:EJ] x? 724E[ }@CE9 s2<@E2 G@E6CD ;FDE C6;64E65 2 4@?DE:EFE:@?2= 2>6?5>6?E H9:49 H@F=5 92G6 :>A@D65 2 e_T E9C6D9@=5 7@C :?:E:2E65 >62DFC6D]k^Am kAm%96 e_T DE2?52C5 :D F?FDF2=] }@CE9 s2<@E2’D DF446DD7F= &]$] w@FD6 42?5:52E6[ yF=:6 u65@C492<[ H@? E96 6=64E:@? H:E9 df]baT @7 E96 G@E6] $96 H:== C6AC6D6?E }@CE9 s2<@E2 :? r@?8C6DD H:E9@FE 92G:?8 DFAA@CE 7C@> e_T @7 @FC G@E6CD] *6E[ E96 D49@@= 3@2C5’D 3@?5 AC@A@D2= C646:G65 2AAC@I:>2E6=J dfT DFAA@CE 7C@> G@E6CD 2?5 72:=65]k^Am kAm%96C6 2C6 46CE2:?=J 2C8F>6?ED 7@C C6BF:C:?8 2 9:896C E9C6D9@=5 C682C5:?8 E2<:?8 @? 563E E92E :D F=E:>2E6=J A2:5 3J E2IA2J6CD] qFE C6BF:C:?8 e_T 2AAC@G2= 67764E:G6=J 8:G6D E96 >:?@C:EJ 2 G6E@ @G6C E96 >2;@C:EJ] %92E :D A2CE:4F=2C=J D:8?:7:42?E H96? ?62C=J D:I @FE @7 `_ 6=:8:3=6 G@E6CD 5:5 ?@E A2CE:4:A2E6 :? E96 6=64E:@? 2E 2==]k^Am kAms6>@4C24J H@CD6=G6D @? E96 :DDF6D 2?5 2446AE E92E ?@E 6G6CJ @FE4@>6 H:== 8@ E96:C H2J] (6 42??@E 4@>A=2:? 23@FE E96 5:C64E:@? @7 @FC 4@>>F?:E:6D H9:=6 =62G:?8 E96 564:D:@?D E@ D@>6@?6 6=D6]k^Am kAm}@CE9 s2<@E2 42? 5@ 36EE6C E92? C64@C5\=@H A2CE:4:A2E:@?] (6 2== ?665 E@ FD6 @FC G@:46D 2?5 D92A6 @FC 4@>>F?:E:6D] }@CE9 s2<@E2?D ?665 E@ D9@H FA]k^Am Katie Winbauer is an attorney in private practice. She served as the editor-in-chief of Bismarck State College’s student newspaper and outside articles editor of the North Dakota Law Review. Katie lives in Bismarck with her husband, Deon Paulson, and their son. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy .