Fargo Counts Votes on Ward-Based Government

Fargo voters cast ballots in a special election on whether to replace the city’s at-large commission elections with six equal-population wards, each electing one council member, while continuing to elect the mayor citywide. The proposal’s supporters say wards would strengthen neighborhood representation and make officials more accountable; opponents argue the current system should remain. If approved by a simple majority, the change would take effect for the June 2028 primary, with an independent committee appointed to draw ward boundaries; the mayor would vote only to break ties and could veto measures, subject to a two-thirds council override. As of late Tuesday night, results were still unavailable, with workers hand-counting paper ballots at polling places and staff tallying absentee and mail-in ballots.