Chief Justice Jensen administers governor's oath at Boys State Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Last week, Chief Justice Jon J. Jensen participated in the Governor’s Inauguration at the 78th Session of American Legion North Dakota Boys State in Wahpeton by administering the oath of office to the duly elected governor of Boys State.  Unlike previous years, the chief justice swore in two governors this year because the 2020 Session was cancelled due to COVID-19. 

The chief justice and incoming governors are pictured with several past North Dakota Boys State governors who attended the inauguration.  From left to right are Andy McLean, Craig Campbell, Dallas Hansen, Art Rosenberg, 2020 governor Grainger Dick, Ray Salata, 2021 governor Ian Busche, Kailer Redman, Jacob Meher, Jon J. Jensen, Kyle Althoff, Nicolai Schoenborn, Mitchell Smette, and Thomas Beattie. 

Previously, Chief Justice Ralph Erickstad, Judge Kirk Smith, and Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle had sworn in Boys State governors and Judge Smith was the elected Governor of Boys State in 1947.  Boys State is a program that teaches its delegates about democracy, the governmental process, and Americanism by participating in the process, running for office, and a disaster emergency management simulation.