North Dakota
North Dakota first lady Kathryn Burgum's election ballot rejected
FARGO — The
North Dakota first lady’s
ballot was thrown out last month after election authorities determined the signature on her absentee application didn’t match the one on her mail-in ballot envelope.
The Secretary of State absentee tracker website shows the June 11 primary election ballot of Kathryn Helgaas, also known as
Kathryn Burgum,
was rejected because the “signatures do not match.” Helgaas married
Doug Burgum
in late 2016 after he was elected North Dakota governor for his first term. She uses the name Kathryn Burgum.
Doug Burgum’s absentee/mail-in ballot was accepted, according to the tracker website.
Kathryn Burgum was unavailable for comment before publishing time, Doug Burgum spokesman Dawson Schefter said. He confirmed she filled out her absentee ballot and voted in Cass County.
“Cass County staff had a question about it, reached a determination, and the matter was resolved,” Schefter said in a statement.
Contributed / North Dakota Secretary of State website
The Cass County Canvassing Board met on June 24. Along with Cass County Commission Chair Chad Peterson, County Finance Director Brandy Madrigga and County Recorder Deborah Moeller, three Democrats and three Republicans voted on whether to accept or reject ballots.
The board voted to reject Kathryn Helgaas’ ballot, said Cheryl Biller, a Democrat who was on the canvassing board. The last name on Helgaas’ absentee application didn’t match the envelope that contained her ballot, Biller said.
The board discussed how the first name on the ballot might have matched, but the last name “completely looked different,” Biller said.
It’s unclear what, exactly, made the two signatures different; The Forum was not allowed to review the application and ballot envelope to compare them.
“I’m not sure any of us recognized the name when we were looking at it,” she said. “I do remember, of the ones that we rejected, they just looked like they couldn’t be the same people.”
Biller said someone told her after the meeting that the ballot belonged to Kathryn Burgum.
Melissa Paulik, one of the Republicans, declined to discuss an individual’s ballot, but she said ballots rejected due to mismatched signatures “are usually pretty clear.”
“It’s not uncommon to have a unanimous vote,” she said.
Peterson, Democrat Christine Fastnaught and Republicans Hal Ecker and Amy Olson told The Forum they didn’t recall Kathryn Helgaas’ ballot. Democrat Renae Aafor didn’t return a message.
Doug Burgum is considered a top contender to be former President Donald Trump’s vice president running mate. The presumed Republican presidential nominee in the 2024 election is likely to announce his pick in the coming days, possibly at the Republican National Convention next week in Milwaukee.
Burgum will attend the convention, said spokesman Mike Nowatzki.
Trump claimed that mail-in ballots were a source of fraud that cost him the 2020 election against Democrat Joe Biden. The two are expected to face off in the general election on Nov. 5.
Michael Vosburg / The Forum
North Dakotans can request an absentee or mail-in ballot by filling out an application. They then receive a ballot, which must be sent back in a sealed envelope.
That envelope serves as a sworn statement, or affidavit, that the person who is voting is actually that person. North Dakota law requires voters to sign their own ballot applications and envelope affidavit, North Dakota Elections Director Erika White said.
Election officials then compare the signatures on the application and ballot envelope, Cass County Election Administrator Craig Steingaard said. If his office believes the signatures don’t match, staff send a letter to the person and try to call them to confirm the ballot is theirs, he said.
“It’s a good process,” he said of trying to get voters to confirm ballots with mismatched signatures. “I think Cass County does everything that we possibly can, because we don’t want anybody to have a rejected ballot. If we can get them to be able to provide us the information to make sure their ballot is counted, that’s what we are going to do.”
A county absentee board, separate from the canvassing board, can review the signatures as well before the canvassing board meets, White said. The voter then has until the canvassing board meets, which happens 13 days after an election, to contact election officials to fix, or “cure,” their ballot, she said.
North Dakota is one of 28 states that allows a voter to fix mismatched signatures. Steingaard said he has never seen a ballot with mismatched signatures be rejected if a voter confirms the ballot is theirs.
If the voter doesn’t respond, the canvassing board has to make the final call, Steingaard said.
“The county auditor, the absentee board, they have no ability to reject any voter’s ballot,” White said. “Only the canvassing board can make that determination.”
The county also sends out a letter to a person informing them that the canvassing board rejected their ballot and the reason it was thrown out, he said.
The county receives ballots with mismatched signatures every election, Steingaard said. What varies is the number, he said.
‘If her signatures don’t match’
State records indicate Kathryn Burgum’s ballot was sent to her on May 22 and returned to Cass County on June 12. The Burgums own property in Cass County, meaning Kathryn Burgum could vote in Cass County.
If the Secretary of State’s website says the first lady’s ballot was rejected, that means Cass County did not get a response to the letter it sent her before the canvassing board met, Steingaard said.
“In my experience, the signature usually needs to be pretty far off, if I’m being honest,” he said of canvassing boards rejecting a ballot. “It must have made people question it.”
The board reviewed 150 ballots, according to meeting minutes. The board rejected 11 because signatures on applications didn’t match the ballot envelope, Cass County spokeswoman Catlin Solum said.
The rejected ballots have been stored away by the county recorder, Solum said. They cannot be opened or inspected unless a recount happens or a judge issues a court order, Solum said in citing North Dakota canvassing law.
Biller acknowledged signatures can vary, and the canvassing board members aren’t trained in handwriting analysis. The first lady’s ballot should be treated like everyone else’s, Biller said.
“I guess I have to say, she shouldn’t get special consideration,” Biller said. “If her signatures don’t match, her signatures don’t match.”
Paulik said it is important for voters to try to use the same signature for ballot applications and ballots.
“I think many are unaware that these signatures are compared to ensure ‘one person, one vote,’” she said. “The canvassing board is usually pretty good at giving people the benefit of the doubt. (For example), they signed the application quickly but took more time with their ballot signature. Still, some people don’t make that job easy.”
Patrick T. Fallon/TNS
Burgum, Trump and mail-in ballots
Doug Burgum has served as North Dakota’s governor since late 2016. He also ran for president as a Republican but dropped out in December.
The governor declined to seek a third term as head of North Dakota’s government.
Speculation that Doug Burgum could be Trump’s running mate has grown in recent weeks. Trump has said he knows who he will pick, but he hasn’t said who the finalists are.
Doug Burgum has thrown his support behind Trump and has spent many days out of state campaigning on the former president’s behalf. Kathryn Burgum has often been at his side on the campaign trail for Trump.
Between May 22 and June 11, Doug Burgum appeared at the North Carolina Republican Convention, in New York as a jury ruled Trump was guilty in a hush money trial and in Louisiana to discuss an energy plan with 19 other governors.
The former president attacked absentee and mail-in ballots after his 2020 loss to Biden. He continuously claimed mail-in ballots were used to commit widespread election fraud and that the presidency was “stolen” from him.
Those allegations have been proven false.
Trump has seemingly in recent months changed his stance on absentee ballots.
“Absentee voting, early voting and Election Day voting are all good options,” Trump said recently on social media.
FARGO — Health officials say influenza cases are surging across North Dakota, hitting hospitals and clinics earlier and more aggressively than usual this season.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking a rise in flu illnesses across the country, with roughly 8% of visits to health care providers labeled as flu-like illness, the highest in more than 25 years.
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DICKINSON — Property tax bills are arriving, and as inflation, taxes and property values continue to rise, many North Dakota homeowners are feeling the strain of higher household expenses.
Two state programs — the primary residence credit and the homestead property tax credit — aim to ease that burden by reducing, and in some cases eliminating, property taxes for eligible homeowners.
The primary residence credit provides a flat credit of up to $1,600 for qualifying homeowners, regardless of age or income. The homestead credit, meanwhile, reduces the taxable value of a home for seniors and individuals with disabilities, significantly lowering or eliminating their tax bill.
Eligible households may apply for both credits, further reducing the amount owed.
Primary residence credit: Who qualifies and how much is available
The primary residence credit was originally capped at $500 in 2023. In 2025, lawmakers increased the credit to $1,600 after Gov. Kelly Armstrong signed House Bill 1176 into law on May 3, 2025.
To qualify, a homeowner must own and occupy a home in North Dakota as their primary residence. Eligible properties include houses,
mobile homes
, townhomes, duplexes and condominiums. Homes held in trust also qualify. There are no age or income limits, and only one credit is allowed per household.
The credit may be applied up to the amount of property tax owed.
“We’re asking the public to take just a few minutes — please come to us, tell us who you are,” State Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus said during a press briefing at the Capitol on Dec. 19. “That is the difference between applying the credit across the board and diluting it for everyone or having a larger credit amount of $1,600.”
Armstrong also highlighted the impact of the expanded credit in an
opinion column
.
“Since we more than tripled the credit to $1,600, the number of households paying no property taxes in 2025 has increased to 50,000,” he wrote.
Homestead property tax credit: Using health expenses to qualify
Unlike the primary residence credit, the homestead credit reduces the taxable value of a qualifying home.
To be eligible, applicants must be 65 or older or have a permanent or total disability, own and occupy the home as their primary residence, and have a household income of $70,000 or less. There is no age requirement for individuals with disabilities. Only one spouse may apply if a married couple lives together.
Households earning $40,000 or less may qualify for a 100% reduction in taxable value, up to $9,000. Those earning between $40,001 and $70,000 may qualify for a 50% reduction, up to $4,500.
Out-of-pocket medical expenses can be deducted when calculating household income. Eligible expenses include unreimbursed medical costs paid during the prior year for the homeowner, spouse or dependents. Subtracting those expenses may move applicants into a lower income tier or help them qualify.
Stark County Auditor and Treasurer
Karen Richard
said the credit has eliminated tax bills for many approved applicants.
“Out of the 725 approved homestead credit applications, there were 355 applicants who had a zero-dollar tax bill just from receiving the homestead credit,” Richard said.
She added that participation remains low.
“There are most likely many more seniors who qualify but do not realize the homestead credit exists,” Richard said. “Any way possible to get the word out could really help individuals living on fixed incomes.”
Applying for both credits
Some households qualify for both programs. The homestead credit is applied first, followed by the primary residence credit.
“By applying for and receiving both credits, an additional 149 applicants received a zero-dollar tax bill,” Richard said. “Out of 725 approved homestead applicants, 504 owed nothing for 2025 property taxes.”
It’s also important to note that either credit applies to special assessments, which may still result in a balance owed.
Applications for both credits must be submitted to a local assessor or county director of tax equalization between Jan. 1 and April 1 of the year the credit is requested. For 2026 taxes, the deadline is April 1, 2026.
Sarah Ruffin, who processes homestead and veterans credit applications for Stark County, encouraged seniors to seek assistance if needed.
“If you are over 65, own your home and earn under $70,000 per year, come talk to me about the homestead credit,” Ruffin said.
Homestead credit applications are available at
tax.nd.gov/homestead
.Primary residence credit applications must be completed online at
tax.nd.gov/prc
.
“The pen is mightier than the sword.”
As a professional writer with more than 10 years of experience, Kelly lives by these words. With a bachelor’s degree in communication, majoring in broadcasting and journalism, and a fiery passion for writing that began in childhood, she uses the power of words to make an impact in the community — informing, educating, and entertaining a wide range of audiences.
As a journalist, what Kelly loves most about her job is the ability to bring unique stories to the public and give people a voice that can be heard around the world. Whether through print or digital platforms, her goal is to share stories people enjoy reading while spreading valuable information that supports the welfare of southwest North Dakota and its people.
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