RepublicanIn office since Nov 2006

Karen Karls

North Dakota State Representative, District 35 since 2006. Ran in 6 elections between 2006 and 2022, winning 6. Ran for re-election in 2026; the count goes on.

North Dakota State Representative, District 35

Official website Wikipedia

In office: 20 yrs; Since 2006
Bills became law: 2; 3 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed: 0.0%; Chamber median 2.4%
With party: 74%; On votes splitting the parties
Last margin: −1.4; Won 2022
Elections: 7; 2006–2026

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

Judiciary · vice chair
Emergency Response Services
Government and Veterans Affairs
Health Care

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 3 sponsored · 2 became law

BillIntroCmteHouseSenateLaw

HB 1216 AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 26.1-36 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to…
Became law May 2025

HB 1479 AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 1-03 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the…
Became law Apr 2025

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Karls sits in the North Dakota House of Representatives

Karls is closer to the center than 69% of the chamber's Republicans.

Closest: Dick Anderson, Dave Monson, Todd Porter

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:56 PM ET

With Karls’s party

Votes with the chamber's Republicans74%
Cosponsorships of the other party's bills5%

Black tick: the average of Republicans in the North Dakota House of Representatives.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Karls’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.

Date	Bill	Karls	Rep. majority	Dem. majority	Result
May 3, 2025	HB 1459: AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 38-12 of the North Dakota Century…	Yes	Yes	Yes	Passed 63–26
May 1, 2025	HB 1298: AN ACT to amend and reenact sections 39-06.1-06, 39-09-02, 39-09-04, and 39-09-07.1, and…	No	No	Yes	Failed 46–45
Apr 23, 2025	SB 2018: AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the department of…	Yes	No	Yes	Passed 48–44
Apr 21, 2025	HB 1482: AN ACT to amend and reenact sections 15.1-07-03, 15.1-07-04, 21-03-04, 21-03-07,…	Yes	Yes	Yes	Passed 88–4
Apr 21, 2025	HB 1540: AN ACT to create and enact a new chapter to title 15.1 of the North Dakota Century Code,…	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 49–43

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Karls was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262028North Dakota House of Representatives, District 35

Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Elections

Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.

Year	Race	Result	Margin	Seat	+/−
2026	North Dakota Legislative District 35	Counting	—	—	—
2022	North Dakota House of Representatives, District 35	Won	D+1.4	R+21.0	−22.4
2018	North Dakota House of Representatives, District 35	Won	D+0.5	R+29.8	−30.3
2014	North Dakota House of Representatives, District 35	Won	D+3.9	—	—
2014	North Dakota House of Representatives, District 35 (primary)	Won	−4.0	—	—
2010	North Dakota House of Representatives, District 35	Won	D+3.0	—	—
2006	North Dakota House of Representatives, District 35	Won	D+4.1	—	—