FARGO — Fargo has its first official candidate for mayor, but she will face competition.
City Commissioner Denise Kolpack launched her mayoral campaign Monday, Jan. 5. The deputy mayor who has served on the Fargo City Commission since 2022 said she is a “proven” and “ready” leader who “is all in.”
“Fargo is at a crossroads right now,” Kolpack told The Forum. “I think it is going to require someone who understands what the issues are, how the city works and has some experience under their belt working with each department and with city employees to make sure that we continue to deliver the best services we can for citizens of Fargo.”
Kolpack plans to hold a press conference once the city approves her petition to run for the June 9 election, according to her news release.
Kolpack is seeking to succeed Mayor Tim Mahoney, who has held his post since 2015. Fargo
limits service for the mayor and city commissioners to three consecutive four-year terms,
meaning Mahoney is ineligible for another election.
His last election
was 2022.
City of Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney speaks at the Fargo Convention Center Committee meeting about the project on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, at Fargo City Hall.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
Kolpack has lived in Fargo for 25 years. She retired as the vice president of brand and marketing communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota in 2022.
She said her platform includes focusing on public safety, fiscal responsibility, professionalism and transparency.
Crime in Fargo has trended downward
in recent years, though recent shootings have influenced public perception that Fargo, particularly downtown, is unsafe.
“Regardless of what statistics may say over the last couple of years in Fargo, perception is reality, and we have some work to do so our citizens do feel safe,” she said. “I think that starts with honest conversations and acknowledging that concern is there.”
Fargo also has faced financial challenges in recent years. In November,
Moody’s downgraded Fargo’s credit rating
for the first time since 2020, citing the city’s “narrow available fund balance” and “above-median long-term liabilities and fixed costs.”
“The city, in my opinion, has not done well in explaining the budgeting process and the real challenges that the city faces,” she said, adding Fargo leadership can better engage with citizens and include them in conversations.
Kolpack described herself not as a Democrat or Republican, but a “Fargoan.”
“That’s the only label I subscribe to,” she said in a video announcing her campaign. “This is the highest elected office I will ever seek. Fargo is my only focus.”
Fargo has “taken a beating” in recent months due to several controversies, Kolpack said. In her campaign video, she listed several news headlines, including Mahoney’s
proposal to stop broadcasting public comments during City Commission meetings
and a
failed attempt to annex an artificial intelligence data center
from Harwood’s extraterritorial zone.
“Are we going to spiral downward even further, or are we going to reclaim our place as the region’s leader?” she asked in the video. “You can choose to end this chaos on June 9 when you vote for mayor.”
When asked how her leadership would differ from Mahoney’s, Kolpack said the mayor’s legacy includes several accomplishments. She said she doesn’t want surprises for the public, adding her leadership would include proactive, long-term strategic planning and “thoughtful and intentional communications around decisions that are made.”
Sekou Sirleaf, chair of the Fargo Human Rights Commission, speaks during a press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, at Sky Commons in the Fargo Civic Center, in support of the Somali community.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
Kolpack is the first person to officially announce a mayoral bid, but others are expected to enter the race.
Fargo Human Rights Commission Chair Sekou Sirleaf created a Facebook page in September that said he is running for mayor. He told The Forum he hasn’t officially announced his campaign but is working on an announcement date.
“This is more than a campaign, it’s a movement for real change,” Sirleaf said on his Facebook page. “Let’s move Fargo forward. One Vision. One Fargo.”
Sirleaf moved to Fargo in 2016 and is a senior pastor at One Family Christian Center International Church in West Fargo.
He recently called Fargo leaders “cowards” for not issuing a statement in support of the Somali community in the face of derogatory comments from President Donald Trump. Sirleaf also criticized Mahoney for recommending the City Commission disband the
Human Rights, Native American, and Arts and Culture commissions.
Kolpack called Sirleaf’s comments unfortunate. Leaders want to do what’s best for Fargo, she said.
“Treating each other with respect is where we need to start,” she said.
Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn votes no on the new location of the Downtown Engagement Center at 2001 First Ave. N., during a city commission meeting on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Fargo City Hall.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn also has served three successive terms beginning in 2014. His seat is up for election in June, along with Kolpack’s, so Piepkorn cannot seek reelection to the City Commission.
The Forum has reached out to Piepkorn and Commissioner Michelle Turnberg to see if they have plans to run for mayor. Turnberg was first elected to her City Commission seat in 2024, and her term expires in 2028.
North Dakota Sen. Josh Boschee, a Democrat from Fargo, has told Forum Communications Columnist Rob Port he is
considering a bid for mayor.
He plans to hold a press conference Tuesday night titled “Conversation on the Future of Fargo with Josh Boschee.”
“This event is an opportunity for residents to come together, share ideas, and talk about what’s working, what needs improvement, and what kind of city we want to build together,” the event Facebook page said.
House Minority Leader Josh Boschee, D-Fargo, speaks on the House floor on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
Forum News Service file photo
City Commissioner John Strand said he is not running for mayor. He was first elected in 2016, meaning he cannot seek reelection to his seat when his term ends in 2028.
Kolpack’s mayor campaign and Piepkorn’s term expiration will leave two open seats on the City Commission.
Native American artist Anna Johnson
has announced her city commissioner campaign.
Former City Commissioner Tony Gehrig has created a Facebook page that suggests he will seek election to the City Commission. He told The Forum he plans to announce his decision on whether to run at the end of the month.
After serving two terms,
Gehrig announced that he would not seek reelection in 2022
so he could spend more time with his family and focus on his military career as an unmanned aircraft pilot with the North Dakota Air National Guard.
