Karen Karls

Karen Karls is an American politician and member of the North Dakota House of Representatives representing District 35. She has served in the state legislature since 2007. A member of the Republican Party, Karls is retired and has been active in her community through various leadership roles. She is married to Ken and has four children.

Beyond her legislative work, Karls has professional experience as a wedding cake decorator. She has also served as Chair of the District 35 Republicans for 28 years and has been involved with organizations focused on military family support, including the ND Council on Education Opportunity for Military Children and Western ND Honor Flights.

Education

Karls holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology from Montana State University .

Political Experience

Karls began her political career in 2006 when she was first elected to the North Dakota State Assembly. She has maintained her seat in the House of Representatives through multiple legislative sessions, including the 69th Legislative Assembly as of 2025.

Her legislative priorities have included education and public service policies. In voting records analyzed during recent sessions, she supported pro-education and public service measures 44.4% of the time and voted to lower the years requirement for teachers to obtain licensure.