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Two longtime residents won out in the race for two West Fargo City Commission seats in the Tuesday, June 11, election.

Candidates Amy Zundel and Rory Jorgensen received the top number of votes to secure the two open seats on the West Fargo City Commission. In complete but unofficial results, Zundel led the race with 29 percent of the votes followed closely by Jorgensen with 26 percent of the 6,200 total votes reported at press time.

DeAnn Reed garnered 17 percent of the votes, while Tyler Erickson received 15 percent and John Severson 13 percent. There were about 6,200 votes counted, which may not contain all results returned by mail.

Zundel is the owner of Move Chiropractic in Fargo. When reached at home Tuesday evening, Zundel was pleasantly surprised to have received the most votes. Zundel was also appreciative of the variety of West Fargo voters, she said.

“I’m thankful and I feel really humbled that such a wide variety of people supported me,” Zundel said. “I enjoyed the process of running for my first ever race and learning more about the community of West Fargo.”

Jorgensen is a West Fargo native who served as the West Fargo assistant fire chief beginning in 1995 before becoming the West Fargo rural fire chief. He retired from service in 2019. His wife, Rhonda Jorgensen, recently celebrated 25 years with the West Fargo Police Department.

He, too, was pleasantly surprised by the election results.

“I’d like to thank everyone that voted and everyone that turned out,” Jorgensen said. “Your vote does count. There was a chance to vote for people who are open-minded, approachable and willing to listen to what the taxpayers' thoughts are. I think the voters did that.”

Erickson is an attorney who moved to West Fargo about a year ago from Williston, N.D. Severson works in management in the transportation industry. Reed serves as 

 and is a former small business owner who moved from Nebraska.

The West Fargo City Commission is made up of five voting members, including Mayor Bernie Dardis, who is considered the commission president. West Fargo city commissioners are elected to four-year terms and represent voters at-large. Commissioners are paid an annual salary of $13,178.

The two open seats are from departing commissioners Mark Simmons and Mandy George, who each decided not to seek re-election.

The new commissioners will be sworn into office on Monday, July 1. At that time, each commissioner will be assigned their portfolios or city departments which a commissioner is primarily responsible for overseeing.

The commission meets at 5:30 p.m. every first and third Monday of the month. The commission is expected to continue to hold its meetings at the current commission chambers located at 800 4th Ave. E.

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The two longtime residents will serve four-year terms on the commission.

Zundel, Jorgensen win West Fargo City Commission seats

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