Jill Schramm/MDN Minot Mayor Mark Jantzer declares his candidacy for reelection in a formal announcement at the Grand Hotel Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Mark Jantzer, Minot’s mayor since last August, announced Tuesday, Jan. 27, that he will seek a full four-year term in the June 9 city election.

Jantzer launched his campaign at a news conference with a group of several supporters in attendance.

Jantzer has served on the Minot City Council since 2008 and had served as acting mayor from the time a vacancy was created on April 1 until his election Aug. 5 in a four-way race for the office.

“I’m hopeful that the voters will trust me to continue doing the job,” he said. “Minot is a great community. We have a lot of good things going for us. I think we’re on a pretty good path, and I’m anxious to continue trying to make Minot a community that we’re all part of and glad to be living in,” he said.

As of Tuesday, no one else had picked up petitions to circulate for the mayor’s position, according to the city clerk’s office. Jantzer said whether he has competition won’t affect his campaign. Regardless, his goal is to get people engaged in the election process, he said.

The council seats of Lisa Olson, Paul Pitner and Mike Hayes, who was appointed to fill Jantzer’s seat, also will be on the June 9 ballot.

Looking at the past six months, Jantzer said the city has taken positive steps, starting with key hires that include a new city manager, human resources director and grant manager. The council also passed a difficult 2026 budget, and Jantzer said he is optimistic about the 2027 budget, for which the development process has already started.

Jantzer also listed employee pay as an area that needs to be addressed. Whether a proposed merit-based pay system fits within a government structure has been questioned.

“On the other hand, there are some council members who are pushing hard for that, so that’s something that we have to work on. Obviously, we have to continue and finish up NAWS, which we hope will be completed and pumping water out of Lake Sakakawea by sometime next summer. And, of course, we have to continue with our flood protection project,” Jantzer said.

As a leader, the mayor is tasked with representing the city before other levels of government and interfacing with Air Force leadership, Jantzer said. Jantzer has been an active supporter of Minot AFB, serving as chair of Task Force 21 for more than 25 years, as well as serving in business and leadership roles.

“There are also some opportunities to work with council members and try to increase their understanding of how we might get to ‘yes’ on some things or how we might take a little different approach. So, I hope to be able to apply the experience and leadership that I’ve had in other areas to the next term,” Jantzer said.

“I”m hopeful that we can work collegially and civilly,” he added of the council. “We may differ in opinions and that’s part of what it’s all about, but I think everybody wants to try to do the best thing for the citizens of Minot, and I certainly do. So, that will be the goal of leadership is to try to congeal all of that and bring it together.”