Photo: Andrew Filer · CC BY-SA 2.0How is Lawton run?
Lawton’s city government spent $56,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,806 per resident. These are Census Bureau estimates: Lawton didn’t report its figures, so this page shows them without comparisons.
What stands out about how Lawton is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
About $1,806 per resident a year, or $4.95 a day
Day-to-day services only (a Census Bureau estimate). The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 34%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Lawton didn’t report all of its 2022 figures to the Census Bureau, so most of these numbers are the Bureau’s estimates.
No comparison or trend for Lawton yet
Every year of Lawton’s figures is a Census Bureau estimate: the city reported none of its dollars for 2022. Estimates are shown above, labeled, but never ranked against places that reported or drawn as a trend.
How Town Hall compares budgets →The typical homeowner pays $250 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.07% of the home’s value, vs 0.99% across North Dakota.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Lawton’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Lawton’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Lawton →
Who’s in charge in Lawton
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Edmore Public School District 2
Lawton’s K–12 school district, shared with Edmore, Fairdale, Fancher Township, Highland Center Township, Newland Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $78,389 per pupil, $34,444 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.
Lawton’s votes are counted by county
North Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Lawton alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Ramsey County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican68.9%3,609 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat28.9%1,513 votesOthers: 2.2% (117 votes).
Most votes in Ramsey County: Donald J Trump
North Dakota: Trump 67.0%, Harris 30.5%
100% of Lawton lies in Ramsey County. Every 2024 race in Ramsey County is on the county’s page.
Ramsey 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 Lawton.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal 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.
Reach Lawton’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Lawton’s government
How much does Lawton spend per resident?
About $1,806 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, a Census Bureau estimate (Lawton didn’t report its figures). With building projects and interest, the whole budget was about $56,000.
What is the property tax rate in Lawton?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $250 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.07% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.99% across North Dakota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the city’s assessor.
Who runs Lawton’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Lawton yet.
How did Lawton vote in 2024?
North Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Lawton alone. Ramsey County, where 100% of Lawton lies, voted Trump 68.9%, Harris 28.9% for president; its page has every race.
Who represents Lawton in the state legislature?
State Senate District 15 (Kent Weston) and State House District 15 (Donna Henderson and Kathy Frelich). The House district also covers 116 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Lawton’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 (for Lawton, the Bureau’s estimates); 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 →