MINOT — When you go into the voting booth on election day you have on hand a ballot that has a bunch of names on it.

How do those names get there? Most of them are the nominated candidate of one party or another, but if you're an independent, there's a process you have to go through before you can be an option on election day.

On this episode of Plain Talk, a Jamestown volunteer by the name of Christian Cairy joined co-host Ben Handon and me to discuss his efforts to get independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on North Dakota's statewide ballot. Cairy said his group, People 4 Kennedy, can begin collecting signatures in January, and have to get 4,000 turned in by September. Those interested in volunteering can email [email protected].

Also on this episode, Fargo-based defense Tanya Martinez talks about the Ian Cramer case. Cramer, the son of U.S. Sentator Kevin Cramer, led police on a high-speed chase that resulted in the death of a Mercer County deputy. Some social media commentators have suggested that Ian Cramer may get special treatment because of who his dad is. Martinez says she's seen no evidence in that case. She also answered questions about the charges he's facing, and what the process will look like going forward.

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