Kelly Leben, Burleigh County sheriff, was chosen Friday as the next member of the North Dakota Ethics Commission on June 19, 2026. (Photo by Mary Steurer/For the North Dakota Monitor)
BISMARCK, ND (North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakota leaders on Friday appointed Burleigh County Sheriff Kelly Leben to the North Dakota Ethics Commission.
Leben will succeed former chair Cynthia Lindquist, who left the board earlier this month to pursue a new job out of state. Leben will serve the remainder of Lindquist’s term, which ends in August 2027.
Commissioners are appointed to the board by a consensus vote of Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, R-Minot, and Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan, D-Fargo.
Leben has served in law enforcement for more than 35 years, and as sheriff since 2019, according to his resume. He’s set to retire as sheriff at the end of the year.
“I think Kelly Leben brings a unique background, and I think it is different than we have had from probably any applicants in the past,” Armstrong said after interviewing three finalists Friday morning, adding that he thinks Leben will make an “exceptionally skilled” commissioner.
Leben said his career has given experience in the public eye, as well as an interest in ethical dilemmas.
“I have been through elections, I have been subject to both the good scrutiny and the negative scrutiny,” he said during his interview with Armstrong, Hogan and Hogue.
Leben’s service in law enforcement has also given him a keen appreciation for “thorough, well-documented, unbiased investigations that are conducted in a timely and highly confidential manner,” he wrote in written responses submitted to the selection committee.
Leben also described himself as a “doer” who takes an active role in the boards and commissions he serves on.
“I believe, let’s just get in there and get the job done,” he said.
He called repairing the public’s trust in the government an “inherent role” of those who serve in public office.
Leben shared during the interview that he has reached out to North Dakota U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer to express his interest in applying to be the state’s next U.S. marshal when the job becomes available. North Dakota U.S. Marshal Dallas Carlson confirmed Friday he plans to retire Sept. 30.
Selection committee members said they weren’t concerned this would conflict with his service on the commission, since the federal appointment process is routinely lengthy.
The selection committee still needs to choose a replacement for Commissioner Ron Goodman, who recently announced he would retire upon the selection of a successor.
The next commissioner will be selected out of two other finalists, West Fargo attorney Lisa Edison-Smith and North Dakota Insurance and Securities Department attorney Garrett Bryan. Both were interviewed alongside Leben on Friday.
Selection committee members said they were not immediately ready to pick between Edison-Smith and Bryan. They indicated they would reconvene at 8 a.m. July 7.
The Ethics Commission is tasked with adopting ethics rules, investigating alleged violations and issuing advisory opinions to help public officials navigate ethical issues, among other duties. Commissioners receive a stipend for every day they meet, and are reimbursed for travel.
Leben was selected from a pool of 17 applicants.
The selection committee also recently appointed Commissioner Mark Western to a four-year term.
Western joined in November to fill the remaining term of Commissioner Dave Anderson, who died last May.
The commission has seen full turnover in less than one year. Lindquist and Goodman were the last two original commissioners remaining on the board.
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