Tom Seymour and Woody Thorpe to Leave North Dakota Legislature

Two incumbent legislators in Minot's District 5 will not be seeking re-election this fall.

Sen. Tom Seymour and Rep. Elwood Thorpe, both D-Minot, are not running. District 5 Democrats have endorsed Rep. Louis Pinkerton to seek re-election to a second term.

Thorpe, a long-time legislator, said he feels the time has come to step aside and bring in someone new.

Thorpe served in the North Dakota House from 1991 to 1993 and again since 1997. He has served on the Industry, Business and Labor and Transportation committees in the House. During the current interim, he is a member of the Industry, Business and Labor, Natural Resources and Public Safety and Transportation committees.

Thorpe is retired after 35 years in the auto business.

Seymour said representing Minot's interest in the Legislature has been enjoyable and a learning process. However, he will leave the Legislature to focus on his other activities, including teaching at Minot State University, serving on a school accreditation team and on the SRT board of directors.

An MSU professor, Seymour has served in the Senate since 2003. He served on the Appropriations Committee last session and previously had been a member of the Education, Technology and Agriculture committees. During the current interim, he is a member of the Higher Education, Information Technology and Workforce committees and Budget Section.

Jill Schramm


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