Bismarck, North Dakota
| Bismarck, North Dakota | |
 | |
| General information | |
Mayor of Bismarck
Mike Schmitz | |
| Last mayoral election: | 2022 |
| Next mayoral election: | 2026 |
| Last city council election: | 2022 |
| Next city council election: | 2024 |
| City council seats: | 5[1] |
| City website | |
| Composition data (2019) | |
| Population: | 72,777 |
| Race: | White 89.8% African American 2.7% Asian 0.9% Native American 4.3% Pacific Islander 0.1% Two or more 1.8% |
| Ethnicity: | Hispanic 2.5% |
| Median household income: | $64,444 |
| High school graduation rate: | 93.8% |
| College graduation rate: | 35.7% |
| Related Bismarck offices | |
| North Dakota Congressional Delegation North Dakota State Legislature North Dakota state executive offices | |
Bismarck is a city in Burleigh County, North Dakota. The city's population was 73,622 as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Click on the links below to learn more about the city's...
- Mayor
- City council
- Other elected officials
- Elections
- Census information
- Budget
- Contact information
- Ballot measures
City government
- See also: City commission government
The city of Bismarck utilizes a city commission system. In this form of municipal government, a city commission, comprised of an elected mayor and a board of elected commissioners, exercises both legislative and executive powers to govern the municipality.
Apart from the legislative role of the commission, each commissioner is administratively responsible for at least one specific aspect or department, such as fire, police, public works, health, or finance.[2] The commission also appoints a city administrator to manage the day-to-day operations of the city.[3]
Mayor
The mayor serves as the president of the city commission. He or she presides over the city commission meetings and votes on issues before the commission. The mayor holds no veto powers.[2][4]
The current Mayor of Bismarck is Mike Schmitz (nonpartisan). Schmitz assumed office in 2022.
City administrator
The city administrator is responsible for overseeing the city's day-to-day operations, implementing the city's operating budget, and carrying out the policies and ordinances of the city commission.[3][5]
City council
The Bismarck City Commission is the city's primary legislative body. It is responsible for approving and adopting the city budget, levying taxes, and making or amending city laws, policies, and ordinances. Each member of the commission is also in charge of advocating for their assigned portfolio.[2]
The city commission is made up of five members, including the mayor. Each member is elected at large to four-year terms.[2]
Other elected officials
Ballotpedia does not cover any additional city officials in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Mayoral partisanship
- See also: Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2025)
Ballotpedia has not yet identified the partisan affiliation of Bismarck's mayor. As of January 2025, the mayors of 35 state capitals are affiliated with the Democratic Party, seven are Republicans, one is independent, and two are nonpartisan. The partisan affiliation of five state capital mayors is unknown. While most mayoral elections in state capital cities are nonpartisan, most officeholders are affiliated with a political party.
Elections
2024
The city of Bismarck, North Dakota, held general elections for city commission on June 11, 2024. The filing deadline for this election was April 8, 2024.
2022
The city of Bismarck, North Dakota, held general elections for mayor and two seats on the city commission on June 14, 2022. The filing deadline was April 11, 2022.[6]
Census information
The table below shows demographic information about the city.
| Demographic Data for Bismarck | |
|---|---|
| Bismarck | |
| Population | 73,622 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 34 |
| Race and ethnicity** | |
| White | 84.8% |
| Black/African American | 2.5% |
| Asian | 1% |
| Native American | 5% |
| Pacific Islander | 0% |
| Two or more | 5.4% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 3.2% |
| Education | |
| High school graduation rate | 95% |
| College graduation rate | 38.7% |
| Income | |
| Median household income | $77,608 |
| Persons below poverty level | 9.7% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2018-2023). | |
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | |
Budget
The city's budget process operates on a fiscal year cycle from January 1 to December 31. The city administrator is responsible for presenting the budget to the city commission. The city commission holds public hearings to allow for public input in the budget process. The city commission reviews the budget and proposes amendments if they are needed. The city commission then adopts the budget sometime in October.[5][7]
Fiscally standardized cities data
The fiscally standardized cities (FiSC) data below was compiled by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy to make municipal budgets comparable across cities in the United States.[8]
| “ |
FiSCs are constructed by adding revenues and expenditures of each central city municipal government to a portion of the revenues and expenditures of overlying governments, including counties, independent school districts, and special districts. The allocations to FiSCs are estimates of the revenues collected from and services provided to central city residents and businesses by these overlying independent governments. Thus FiSCs provides a full picture of revenues raised from city residents and businesses and spending on their behalf, whether done by the city government or a separate overlying government.[9] |
” |
| —Lincoln Institute of Land Policy[10] | ||
The tables below show estimated finances within city limits. As such, the revenue and expenses listed may differ from the actual city budget.
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Historical total revenue and expenditure
To see the historical total revenue or expenditures as a rounded amount in this city, hover over the bars.[8]
Contact information
Mayor's office
221 N. 5th Street
P.O. Box 5503
Bismarck, ND 58506-5503
Phone: 701-355-1300
Click here for city commission contact information.
Ballot measures
The city of Bismarck is in Burleigh County. A list of ballot measures in Burleigh County is available here.
See also
- Cities in North Dakota
- Burleigh County, North Dakota
- Largest cities in the United States by population
External links
- City of Bismarck
- Office of the Mayor
- City Commission
- Bismarck City Charter
- Bismarck City Code of Ordinances
Footnotes
- ↑ The mayor is included in this number as a member of the city commission.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 City of Bismarck, "City Commission," accessed October 8, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 City of Bismarck, "Keith Hunke," accessed October 8, 2021
- ↑ North Dakota League of Cities, "City Government Basics," accessed October 8, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 City of Bismarck, "2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report," accessed August 23, 2023
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "Running for City Office," accessed October 8, 2021
- ↑ City of Bismarck, "Code of Ordinances: Title 07 - Fiscal Procedures," accessed August 23, 2023
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, "Fiscally Standardized Cities database," accessed August 23, 20231
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, "Fiscally Standardized Cities," accessed August 23, 2023
