Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem to retire in 2022

BISMARCK (KVRR) – North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem announced Friday that he will not run for reelection in 2022.

The 68-year-old Stenehjem is North Dakota’s longest-serving attorney general.  He was first elected in 2000.

Stenehjem also served in the North Dakota Legislature for 24 years, including four years in the House and 20 years in the Senate, where he was chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1995-2000.

Stenehjem says he wants to be remembered as a staunch advocate for open meetings and open records laws, as well as for his work on drug-related crimes and human trafficking.

Gov. Doug Burgum called Stehnejem a “dedicated public servant.”

“As the state’s top law enforcement officer for more than 20 years, Wayne’s chief concern has always been the safety and well-being of North Dakota citizens, and our state is a better place because of his devoted service.”