A third candidate emerged as a candidate for the U.S. Senate on Thursday.

Roland Riemers, an Emerado man, announced Thursday that he will be running against Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. and Republican Dwight Grotberg. Riemers said he has turned in 1,300 signatures to the secretary of state to get his name on the November ballot. The deadline to file a petition to run as an independent is at 4 p.m. today.

In 2004 Riemers ran for governor, but received only 1.35 percent of the vote.

Riemers describes himself as a civil libertarian and judicial reformist. He frequently represents himself in lawsuits.

Riemers also is the author of a ballot proposal that would require prenuptial agreements, limit child support payments after divorces and call for an elected state family advocate position. Investigators are determining whether some of the petitioners committed fraud by signing false name on the petitions.

According to the Associated Press, Riemers was cited July 23 for obstructing a sidewalk in Minot while collecting petition signatures for the measure. He said the city violated his free speech rights and that he is suing the North Dakota State Fair Board for denying his freedom of speech rights during the state fair.

-Tom Rafferty