Hamida Dakane

American politician

Hamida Dakane
Member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
from the 10th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 1, 2022 (2022-12-01)
Serving with Steve Swiontek
Preceded byChuck Damschen
Personal details
Bornc. 1989 (age 34–35)
Kenya
Political partyNorth Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party
EducationNorth Dakota State University, University of Maryland
Occupation
  • Politician
  • community organizer

Hamida Dakane (born c. 1989) is a Kenyan-American politician who is the first Black and first Muslim person to serve in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly. She was elected in 2022 as a Democrat to represent District 10 of the North Dakota House of Representatives, centered in Fargo.

Life and career

Born in northeastern Kenya circa 1989[1] and of Somali descent, Dakane moved to the United States in 2011 on a student visa to attend North Dakota State University. She chaired the NDSU Black Student Association while studying for her bachelor's degree in emergency management and international studies. She stayed in the United States to work as a community organizer after graduation. She first ran for political office in 2020, unsuccessfully seeking to represent District 16 in the North Dakota House of Representatives.[2]

In November 2022, Dakane was elected to represent House District 10 for a two-year term from December 1, 2022, to December 1, 2024.[2] She represents the district alongside Rep. Steve Swiontek, a Republican. During North Dakota's 2023 legislative session, Dakane served on the Industry, Business and Labor and the Transportation standing committees and held interim appointments on the Workforce and the Agricultural and Natural Resources standing committees. Dakane and fellow state senator Kathy Hogan have sponsored mental health, childcare, and workforce development bills, most of which have been voted down by the overwhelmingly Republican state legislature.[3][4]

Dakane holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Maryland. In 2018, she was appointed to serve on the Fargo Human Relations Commission. She has received the Human Rights MLK Award from the City of Fargo and been named Woman of the Year by the Fargo YWCA.[2][4]

Electoral history

2020 North Dakota House of Representatives election, District 16[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ben Koppelman 5,434 29.28
Republican Andrew Marschall 4,782 25.77
Democratic–NPL Tracey L. Wilkie 4,448 23.97
Democratic–NPL Hamida Dakane 3,869 20.85
Write-in 23 0.12
Total votes 18,556 100.00
2022 North Dakota House of Representatives election, District 10[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Swiontek 1,687 40.03
Democratic–NPL Hamida Dakane 1,343 31.87
Democratic–NPL Damian Ridl 1,153 27.36
Write-in 31 0.74
Total votes 4,214 100.00

References

  1. ^ Glass-Moore, Adrian (May 17, 2016). "Refugees, health officials dispute report suggesting refugees carry TB risk". The Dickinson Press. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Ebuka, Ben (December 27, 2022). "8 things to know about Hamida Dakane, the first Somali woman elected into North Dakota State House of Representatives". Hiiraan Online. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  3. ^ Thompson, Dave (May 2, 2023). "First Muslim elected to the North Dakota Legislature said she enjoyed the experience". Prairie Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Representative Hamida Dakane". North Dakota Legislative Branch. 2023. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  5. ^ "State Representative District 16". North Dakota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  6. ^ "State Representative Unexpired 2-Year Term District 10". North Dakota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.


  • v
  • t
  • e
68th Legislative Assembly (2023)
Speaker of the House
▌Dennis Johnson (R)
Majority Leader
▌Mike Lefor (R)
Minority Leader
▌Zac Ista (D-NPL)
  1. ▌Patrick Hatlestad (R)
    ▌David Richter (R)
  2. ▌Bert Anderson (R)
    ▌Donald Longmuir (R)
  3. ▌Jeff Hoverson (R)
    ▌Lori VanWinkle (R)
  4. ▌Clayton Fegley (R)
    ▌Lisa Finley-DeVille (D-NPL)
  5. ▌Jay Fisher (R)
    ▌Scott Louser (R)
  6. ▌Dick Anderson (R)
    ▌Paul Thomas (R)
  7. ▌Matthew Heilman (R)
    ▌Jason Dockter (R)
  8. ▌SuAnn Olson (R)
    ▌Brandon Prichard (R)
  9. ▌Jayme Davis (D-NPL)
    ▌Donna Henderson (R)
  10. ▌Hamida Dakane (D-NPL)
    ▌Steve Swiontek (R)
  11. ▌Gretchen Dobervich (D-NPL)
    ▌Liz Conmy (D-NPL)
  12. ▌Mitch Ostlie (R)
    ▌Bernie Satrom (R)
  13. ▌Jim Jonas (R)
    ▌Austen Schauer (R)
  14. ▌Jon Nelson (R)
    ▌Robin Weisz (R)
  15. ▌Dennis Johnson (R)
    ▌Kathy Frelich (R)
  16. ▌Ben Koppelman (R)
    ▌Andrew Marschall (R)
  17. ▌Landon Bahl (R)
    ▌Mark Sanford (R)
  18. ▌Corey Mock (D-NPL)
    ▌Steve Vetter (R)
  19. ▌Karen Anderson (R)
    ▌David Monson (R)
  20. ▌Jared Hagert (R)
    ▌Mike Beltz (R)
  21. ▌LaurieBeth Hager (D-NPL)
    ▌Mary Schneider (D-NPL)
  22. ▌Jonathan Warrey (R)
    ▌Brandy Pyle (R)
  23. ▌Dennis Nehring (R)
    ▌Nico Rios (R)
  24. ▌Rose Christensen (R)
    ▌Dwight Kiefert (R)
  25. ▌Alisa Mitskog (D-NPL)
    ▌Cindy Schreiber-Beck (R)
  26. ▌Jeremy Olson (R)
    ▌Kelby Timmons (R)
  27. ▌Josh Christy (R)
    ▌Greg Stemen (R)
  28. ▌Mike Brandenburg (R)
    ▌Jim Grueneich (R)
  29. ▌Craig Headland (R)
    ▌Don Vigesaa (R)
  30. ▌Glenn Bosch (R)
    ▌Mike Nathe (R)
  31. ▌Karen Rohr (R)
    ▌Dawson Holle (R)
  32. ▌Pat Heinert (R)
    ▌Lisa Meier (R)
  33. ▌Anna Novak (R)
    ▌Bill Tveit (R)
  34. ▌Todd Porter (R)
    ▌Nathan Toman (R)
  35. ▌Karen Karls (R)
    ▌Bob Martinson (R)
  36. ▌Gary Kreidt (R)
    ▌Dori Hauck (R)
  37. ▌Mike Lefor (R)
    ▌Vicky Steiner (R)
  38. ▌JoAnne Rademacher (R)
    ▌Dan Ruby (R)
  39. ▌Keith Kempenich (R)
    ▌Mike Schatz (R)
  40. ▌Matthew Ruby (R)
    ▌Randy Schobinger (R)
  41. ▌Jorin Johnson (R)
    ▌Michelle Strinden (R)
  42. ▌Claire Cory (R)
    ▌Emily O'Brien (R)
  43. ▌Eric James Murphy (R)
    ▌Zac Ista (D-NPL)
  44. ▌Joshua Boschee (D-NPL)
    ▌Karla Rose Hanson (D-NPL)
  45. ▌Carrie McLeod (R)
    ▌Scott Wagner (R)
  46. ▌James Kasper (R)
    ▌Shannon Roers Jones (R)
  47. ▌Mike Motschenbacher (R)
    ▌Lawrence Klemin (R)