North Dakota State Sen. Josh Boschee will be the next mayor of Fargo, after finishing first in a five-person race that also included three current city commissioners.
The Associated Press called the race for Boschee on Tuesday night. He received nearly 47 percent of the vote, with 95 percent of the votes counted as of early Wednesday. He’ll replace Mayor Tim Mahoney, who has been in the role since 2014 and is term-limited.
Boschee has been a member of the North Dakota Legislature since 2012 and is in the middle of serving a term in the state Senate. He said he will resign his seat upon becoming mayor.
He is the first mayor elected since the city commission voted to make the position a full-time role last year. It was also the first city election since the North Dakota Legislature prohibited Fargo from using a novel voting system called “approval voting,” where voters can select multiple candidates.
Boschee is a member of the D-NPL, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party. But the mayor’s job is nonpartisan, and he said that’s how he’ll treat it.
“There’s not a Democratic or Republican way to pick up the garbage,” Boschee said, invoking former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia. “A lot of what folks want is core services delivered by a city. They want to make sure things are paid for in an efficient manner.”
Boschee said his priorities as mayor will include addressing affordability, public safety and the city’s budget.
“As a growing city, we have to make sure that we can grow effectively and efficiently, but also make sure that we’re addressing property tax concerns that continue to be at the top of people’s list,” he said.
Unlike three of his opponents, Boschee has not served on the Fargo City Commission. He said during the campaign that that gives him a better ability to be an agent of change, but it also means there may be some catching up to do.
“I’m a quick learner,” he said. “Anyone who served with me in the Legislature knows that I dig in right away and start working toward solutions with stakeholders who are committed to find those solutions.”
Boschee’s supporters told MPR News they like his approach to public safety and homelessness, both of which were major issues in the campaign.
“Josh, just from day one, you feel like he really has your back,” said Amy Hewitt, who voted for Boschee on Tuesday morning. “Equal rights as a human, Josh spoke out from day one that this is imperative in our society … We take care of everyone.”
Some of his supporters also voted on partisan lines.
“For me, right now, everything is partisan, because our democracy is on the line in this country,” said supporter John Cox. “A candidate like Josh is also an antidote to Washington, D.C., right now, which is much needed.”
Fargo voters also approved an extension of the city’s one percent infrastructure sales tax.
Statewide, North Dakota’s sole member of the U.S. House, Julie Fedorchak, won the Republican primary. Voters also approved a ballot measure that limits future constitutional amendments to a single subject.