Steve Schwab
ND · Burleigh County Commissioner
Steve Schwab has been a Burleigh County commissioner since 2022, is a small business owner, and is a former Bismarck city commissioner. Schwab says data centers should be kept away from housing subdivisions and residents should not bear the burden of power shortages they cause.
Where Steve Schwab stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Efficiency (2 records), Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record)
Opposes
Public Infrastructure (1 record)
Mixed record
Environment and Public Health (1 support · 1 oppose), Government Spending Reduction (7 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 support · 1 oppose
Voted on Sept. 13, 2023, to cut the county's payment to Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health to $300,000, down from the $580,000 requested. It passed 4-1.
September 13, 2023Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: burleigh.gov
Voted with a unanimous commission on March 6, 2023, to adopt a county safety ordinance for hazardous liquid pipelines. Summit Carbon Solutions spoke against it at the hearing.
March 6, 2023Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: burleigh.gov
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 2 support
Made the motion on Dec. 23, 2024, to find out what a forensic audit of the county's accounts would cost. It passed 3-2.
December 23, 2024Supports Government Efficiency
Source: burleigh.gov
Made the motion on March 6, 2023, to post county commission agenda packets online before each meeting. It passed 4-1.
March 6, 2023Supports Government Efficiency
Source: burleigh.gov
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 7 support · 1 oppose
Led the county's move to leave the Garrison Diversion water district, making the motion on Oct. 20, 2025, that passed 3-1. He said the county paid far more to the district than it got back.
October 20, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Voted on Oct. 6, 2025, to end a county tax deal that sent 0.65 mills of property tax to Bismarck Parks for riverfront improvements. It passed 3-2.
October 6, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Voted on Sept. 15, 2025, to cut the Kimball Bottoms boat landing budget by $895,000. It passed 4-1.
September 15, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: burleigh.gov
Made the motion to adopt the county's final 2024 budget on Sept. 20, 2023. It passed 3-2.
September 20, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: burleigh.gov
Voted on Sept. 13, 2023, to cut the county's payment to Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health to $300,000, down from the $580,000 requested. It passed 4-1.
September 13, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: burleigh.gov
Voted against sending a second 1-cent Bismarck sales tax to voters in September 2009. The tax would have paid for street repairs and a $26 million Civic Center expansion. The ballot plan passed 4-1.
September 8, 2009Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Cast the only vote against Bismarck's 2009 city budget on Sept. 23, 2008. It passed 4-1.
September 23, 2008Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Voted with a 4-1 majority on Jan. 8, 2008, to deny the University of Mary money from Bismarck's economic development fund. He said the request did not fit the fund's rules.
January 8, 2008Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Voted with a unanimous commission on March 6, 2023, to adopt a county safety ordinance for hazardous liquid pipelines. Summit Carbon Solutions spoke against it at the hearing.
March 6, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: burleigh.gov
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 oppose
Voted on Sept. 15, 2025, to cut the Kimball Bottoms boat landing budget by $895,000. It passed 4-1.
September 15, 2025Opposes Public Infrastructure
Source: burleigh.gov
Track record — General
General · 10 records
Mowed several acres of county land with his own equipment in July 2026 without commission approval, then asked for $214 in fuel costs. The commission approved paying him 4-1, with him voting no.
July 20, 2026
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Made the motion on May 4, 2026, to appeal the Garrison Diversion district's denial of the county's request to leave. It passed 4-1.
May 4, 2026
Source: burleigh.gov
Made the motion on May 21, 2025, to send the governor a petition to remove County Auditor Mark Splonskowski from office. It passed 4-1.
May 21, 2025
Source: burleigh.gov
Cast the only vote on May 5, 2025, against the county's new zoning rules for data centers.
May 5, 2025
Source: burleigh.gov
Cast the only vote on June 17, 2024, against starting collection of the 1% county sales tax that voters had approved that month.
June 17, 2024
Source: burleigh.gov
Made the motion on June 5, 2023, asking the state attorney general to investigate who owns the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline company. It passed unanimously.
June 5, 2023
Source: burleigh.gov
Won a seat on the Burleigh County Commission on Nov. 8, 2022, as one of three new commissioners.
November 8, 2022
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Said publicly in May 2010 that Bismarck misled taxpayers when it gave $500,000 in grants to a business incubator, the IDEA Center. He stood by the claim after a fellow commissioner objected.
May 26, 2010
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Cast the only vote on Feb. 23, 2010, against a downtown tax-break policy change and a downtown urban renewal plan. Both passed 3-1.
February 23, 2010
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Questioned a request for about $400,000 in homeland security grants in July 2006, citing a 2004 audit that flagged city grant spending. The Bismarck City Commission still voted 4-1 to apply.
July 27, 2006
Source: bismarcktribune.com
Past race Steve Schwab ran in:
- County Commissioner · November 3, 2026 · Burleigh County, North Dakota · incumbent