A Grand Forks woman has entered the race for the state Legislature, running for a House seat representing District 18.
Cindy Kaml, a Republican, told the Herald Tuesday of her intent to run for the seat.
“Given my background, I have a unique understanding of Grand Forks," she said in a prepared statement sent to the Herald. "I have seen generations of children I cared for emerge as leaders in our community, and reconnected with them. It is time to join the Legislature, in order to continue to help them, as I did when they were little.”
Kaml is a licensed childcare provider who has owned her own childcare business for two decades. She recently became a Realtor. In her announcement, she notes various professional awards, including Rookie of the Year through the Grand Forks Area Association of Realtors and also for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Family Realty.
She said that if she's elected, she plans to work on issues related to the importance of childcare and early childhood development. She also would seek to expand childcare access and educate families on options related to care.
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"When it comes to childcare, there are two problems: Knowledge and affordability," she said. "For many, the issue isn't a lack of services; it's a lack of knowledge, causing current programs to go underutilized."
She also said she is interested in helping promote the needs of servicemen/servicewomen and veterans.
"Right now, we have airmen moving to Fargo and veterans driving hundreds of miles for care. My goal is that every single serviceman and veteran get everything they need here and ultimately stay in our community after their service concludes," she said.
Kaml attended UND and received her legal secretarial degree from Aakers Business College. She is married with three children and a granddaughter.
District 18 includes a portion of downtown Grand Forks and a large swath of northern Grand Forks north of Highway 2.
