Wells County Government

06/01/2026

The June meeting of the Wells County Commission will take place Thursday, June 4th, at 8:00 AM in the KTL Building in Fessenden.

You may access the agenda for this meeting at the following link:

05/28/2026

Wells County Election workers held required training Tuesday, May 26th, for the upcoming Primary Election. Wells County Auditor, Daniel Stutlien, led workers through the legally required training focusing on poll procedures, election worker duties/tasks, election set-up and equipment, and required paperwork for running a smooth, successful election.

Wells County voters will be in good hands with the largely veteran staff including Vanessa Anderson, Jackie Bauerle, Loretta Buchwitz, Roxanne Fike, Lydia Gessele, Jennifer Hagemeister, Delvin Hanson, Renae Heintz, Beth Huseth, Judy Keller, Alex LaPlant, Connie Loen, Krysten McKinven, Laura Muscha, Tammy Roehrich, Cheryl Ryan, Linda Schander, Pam Siebold, Vondell Stutlien, Lisa Weckerly & Sheila Wiesz. All but Vanessa Anderson, Lydia Gessele, and Cheryl Ryan appear in this picture taken at the beginning of the training session.

If you are at least 18 years old, a US citizen, and a resident of Wells County for at least the past 30 days, be sure to get out to one of three Wells County Vote Centers in Bowdon (Fire Hall), Fessenden (Festival Hall), or Harvey (City Hall/Armory) to cast your ballot Tuesday, June 9th. Vote Centers will be open from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM local time. If you cannot make it to the polls, you may vote absentee, but time is running low. Be sure to contact the Wells County Auditor’s Office ASAP to apply to vote absentee. Ballots must be back in the Auditor’s hands by the time polls close (7:00 PM) Tuesday, June 9th.

Voters must present a valid ND Driver’s License, or a valid ND non-Driver’s License, or a Tribal ID, or a Long-Term Care Certificate from a ND facility. Failure to present one of these four forms of identification will not keep you from voting, but you will have to vote a set-aside ballot, and proper identification will need to be submitted to the Wells County Auditor prior to 10:00 AM Monday, June 22nd, in order to have the vote counted at Canvassing.

There is no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter. So, perform your civic duty and vote Tuesday, June 9th!

05/26/2026

For the upcoming Primary Election Tuesday, June 9th, Wells County will have Vote Centers open from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM in Bowdon (Fire Hall), Fessenden (Festival Hall), and Harvey (City Armory). Regardless where you reside in Wells County, voters may cast their ballot in any one of these three locations. If you are 18 years of age, a US citizen, and have resided in Wells County for at least 30 days prior to the Election, you are eligible to vote in Wells County. Voters must present a valid ND Driver’s License, or a valid ND non-Driver’s License, or a Tribal ID, or a Long-Term Care Certificate from a ND facility. Failure to present one of these four forms of identification will not keep you from voting, but you will have to vote a set-aside ballot, and proper identification will need to be submitted to the Wells County Auditor prior to 10:00 AM Monday, June 22nd, in order to have the vote counted at Canvassing.

The link below will take you to a publication ballot for Wells County to apprise you of who is running and what issues will be on the Primary ballot. Please note this is a Publication Ballot, a compilation of all races in Wells County, and will not be the same as the ballot you receive at one of the Voting Centers. You may view the Publication Ballot at the following link:

05/13/2026

A special meeting of the Wells County Commission will take place Friday, May 22nd, at 9:00 AM at the KTL Building in Fessenden. The purpose of this meeting is to listen to two submitted proposals and select a Construction Engineer (CE) for replacement of a bridge three miles north of Fessenden on WC #1.

You may access the agenda for this meeting at the following link:

05/08/2026

Great Opportunity for anyone looking for a career change or a new start in law enforcement!

Come work with us! Call our office at 701-547-3211 or send in your resume

05/02/2026

The May meeting of the Wells County Commission will take place Tuesday, May 5th, at 8:00 AM in the KTL Building in Fessenden.

You may access the agenda for this meeting at the following link:

04/30/2026

This Friday will be the 1st of May. That mean the ’26 Primary Election is now less than six weeks away. If you would like to vote, but cannot make it to any of our three voting centers (Bowdon Fire Hall, Fessenden Festival Hall, and Harvey Armory) on Election Day, you will need to contact the Wells County Auditor’s Office to complete an Absentee Application.

We received our Absentee Ballots earlier today, so once we have your completed Absentee Application, ballots will be delivered as soon thereafter as practical.

If you are 18 years of age on or before Tuesday, June 9th, are a US Citizen, and have resided in Wells County for at least the past 30 days, you are eligible to vote. So, make a plan to vote, and if that includes voting absentee, be sure to reach out to the Wells County Auditor’s Office and get an Absentee Application as soon as possible.

To obtain an application to complete, please contact Daniel Stutlien in the Wells County Auditor’s Office. The most efficient way to obtain your application is to text your request to 701-341-0600, or you may e-mail [email protected]. Be sure to share your full name and address. Application requests will be fulfilled as quickly as possible.

Voting in America is more than an important right, it’s a critical responsibility. Be sure to VOTE!

04/15/2026

The Wells County Commission has placed County Measure No. 1 on the June Primary Election ballot June 9th. This measure asks residents of the county to authorize the Commission to increase the WC Road & Bridge levy to 25 mills. The current levy is capped by law at 14 mills. However, 14 mills does not generate the revenue necessary to operate the Road Dept. With the Road & Bridge levy capped, not to mention 3% caps on increases to other funds, the salaries and benefits of department employees, not to mention costs of equipment, fuel, materials, etc. has far outpaced our current Road & Bridge levy.

WC has put together some information for residents to assist them in making an informed decision when they go to the ballot box. That information is attached to this post.

If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to WC Auditor Daniel Stutlien at 701-341-0600, or [email protected], or reach out to any of the WC Commissioners (Stan Buxa, Dennis Dockter, Bryan Lautt, Danny “Boone” Maxwell, and Brian Miller).

04/15/2026

With Election season right around the corner, it is time to begin planning for how you intend to vote Tuesday, June 9th. Wells County encourages all eligible voters to cast your ballot in person on Election Day. We will have voting centers in Bowdon (Fire Hall), Fessenden (Festival Hall) and Harvey (Armory), and polls will be open from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Regardless of where you reside in the county, you may vote at any one of the three voting center sites on Election Day.

If you are unable to get to the polls, voting absentee is the next best thing to being there. To obtain a ballot, you must first complete an absentee application with the Wells County Auditor’s Office.

To obtain an application to complete, please contact Daniel Stutlien in the Wells County Auditor’s Office. The most efficient way to obtain your application is to text your request to 701-341-0600, or you may e-mail [email protected]. Be sure to share your full name and address. Application requests will be fulfilled as quickly as possible.

Don’t settle for standing on the sidelines ~ Make your plan and VOTE June 9th!