From left, Sheri Haugen-Hoffart, Jill Kringstad and Deven Styczynski are candidates for North Dakota Public Service Commission in 2026. (Photos courtesy of the candidates)
BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – At least three candidates plan to run for two seats on the North Dakota Public Service Commission in the 2026 election, with both incumbents announcing campaigns this month.
Commissioner Sheri Haugen-Hoffart announced earlier this month that she will seek reelection to a six-year term.
Haugen-Hoffart was appointed to the PSC in February 2022 and won the election for the seat the same year.
There also is a two-year term on the ballot. Julie Fedorchak was elected to a six-year term in 2022 but she gave up the seat when she was elected to Congress in 2024.
Jill Kringstad, who was appointed in January 2025 to fill Fedorchak’s seat, announced last week that she will run for the two-year portion remaining on that term.
Deven Styczynski of Enderlin says he also intends to run, but has not yet decided which term he would run for.
Styczynski and other potential candidates must declare which seat they are running for when they file for candidacy with the North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office. The filing deadline is April 6.
Haugen-Hoffart, Kringstad and Styczynski are all Republicans.
Neither Haugen-Hoffart nor Kringstad committed to seeking the nomination at the North Dakota GOP convention. Without a party nomination, candidates must gather petition signatures to get on the ballot.
Styczynski said he would seek the party nomination for the seat he decides to file for.
Other candidates could emerge before the April 6 deadline.
In 2024, Tracey Wilkie announced her candidacy at the Democratic-NPL state convention. She lost to incumbent Republican Randy Christmann, receiving about 30% of the vote.
Wilkie told the North Dakota Monitor that she has not considered running this year and encouraged other candidates to come forward.
The three-person commission oversees rates for-profit electric utilities, issues permits for infrastructure such as pipelines, powerlines and wind turbines, and manages the state’s coal mine reclamation program, among other responsibilities.
Styczynski said he’s running for the PSC in part due to concerns about rate increases from power companies.
He called a compromise plan to allow Xcel Energy to increase electric rates by 10% for North Dakota customers “ludicrous.”
Haugen-Hoffart defended the pending rate increase, saying it was the first request to raise rates in four years and electric rates.
Kringstad said abundant, reliable and affordable energy is a top priority.
Haugen-Hoffart and Kringstad both pointed to federal reporting that says North Dakota has the lowest electricity rates in the country.
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