Lake Hester Township spent less per resident in 2022 than 96% of similar towns
Lake Hester Township’s town government spent $4,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $83 per resident.
What stands out about how Lake Hester Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$83 per resident in 2022: less than 96% of them
Lake Hester Township’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($83 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 806 North Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $536, and the middle half spent $304–$1,000. Lake Hester Township spent less than 96% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
North Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Lake Hester Township itself left out).
About $83 per resident a year, or $0.23 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 50%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Lake Hester Township reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
Who’s in charge in Lake Hester Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Velva Public School District 1
Lake Hester Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Bergen, Bjornson Township, Brown Township, Butte, Cottonwood Lake Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,854 per pupil, $9,142 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
North Dakota districts overall: 40% local, 46% state, 14% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Lake Hester Township’s votes are counted by county
North Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Lake Hester Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are McHenry County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican80.8%2,223 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat17.4%479 votesOthers: 1.8% (50 votes).
Most votes in McHenry County: Donald J Trump
North Dakota: Trump 67.0%, Harris 30.5%
100% of Lake Hester Township lies in McHenry County. Every 2024 race in McHenry County is on the county’s page.
McHenry County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Lake Hester Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2North Dakota HouseState representatives
- 3North Dakota SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of North Dakota
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Lake Hester Township compares with the towns next door
Lake Hester Township spent $83 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $128 to $706. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Karlsruhe Township | $128 | — |
| Odin Township | $234 | — |
| Falsen Township | $381 | — |
| Karlsruhe | $706 | $444 |
| Lebanon Township | estimate | $1,281 |
| Lake Hester Township | $83 | — |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Lake Hester Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Lake Hester Township’s government
How much does Lake Hester Township spend per resident?
About $83 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $83 was less than 96% of 806 North Dakota towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
Who runs Lake Hester Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Lake Hester Township yet.
How did Lake Hester Township vote in 2024?
North Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Lake Hester Township alone. McHenry County, where 100% of Lake Hester Township lies, voted Trump 80.8%, Harris 17.4% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Lake Hester Township?
0 full-time and 4 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $373 (about $4,476 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Lake Hester Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 6 (Paul Thomas) and State House District 6 (Dan Vollmer and Dick Anderson). The House district also covers 170 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Lake Hester Township’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →