Introduction to the 2024 Bismarck City Commission candidates

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - There are two seats open for the Bismarck City Commission, with a term of four years each. Three candidates are running, one is an incumbent.

Incumbent Michael Connelly has worked as a traveler in the medical field and with home health care for 14 years. He said he is running again to continue to dive into issues that matter to Bismarck residents whether they impact them directly or indirectly. Connelly said many times things don’t need to be fixed, but rather need to be looked at with a fresh approach. He said it’s an honor to represent when given an opportunity to do a good thing for another person.

John Risch has been involved in government relations most of his adult life. He said he has served on many boards and understands what it takes to bring people together and get things done. Risch said he is running because of his experience participating in the 2022 Bismarck Citizens Academy. He said if elected, he is hoping to get the Bismarck Event Center back on track and working on everyday problems.

Matt Hull is an archaeologist and works as a Cultural Resources Team Lead with the SWCA. He said he is running after his experience participating in the Bismarck Citizen Academy and learning from city employees. Hull said his top priority if elected is to help those who are homeless. He also is looking to link the downtown with the Civic Center and Kirkwood Mall. Hull said he likes to study what works well and what doesn’t.

The primary election is on June 11.

To find out more about the candidates or where to vote, you can visit the North Dakota Secretary of State’s website and click on elections.