Candidates for North Dakota governor differed Monday on a ballot measure that would change the process for future voter-initiated measures to amend the state constitution.

Republican Kelly Armstrong, Democratic-NPL candidate Merrill Piepkorn and independent candidate Michael Coachman debated in front of a live audience of more than 100 people during a debate hosted by BEK TV and moderated by Steve Bakken and Joel Heitkamp.

Piepkorn, a state senator, said he opposes Measure 2, which was placed on the 2024 general election ballot by the Legislature. The measure would limit ballot initiatives to a single subject; increase the signature requirement for petitions; force ballot initiatives to be passed by the voters during the primary election and the general election; and require petition circulators to be eligible to vote in North Dakota.

4 major takeaways from North Dakota governor debate

Piepkorn said he believes the Republican-led Legislature only believes in local control until a certain point.

“It will just make things more difficult,” Piepkorn said. “It’s not a perfect system. But it’s a good system and it’s the best one we have, and we don’t need to change it.”

Armstrong said he isn’t sure how he will vote on Measure 2. He added it should be easier to change statutes via ballot petition, but people should “be more careful” with constitutional changes.

“I think it should be really hard to change the North Dakota Constitution,” Armstrong said.

He also said the measure doesn’t address out-of-state money influencing ballot initiative campaigns.

Coachman said he believes the Legislature doesn’t have the power to use the initiated ballot measure process because of the state’s constitution. He also objected to Measure 1, which cleans up outdated language in the constitution, and Measure 3, which affects the Legacy Fund, because they were placed on the ballot by the Legislature.

“If you don’t follow the constitution, what do you got?” Coachman said. “A Third World country.”

Energy industry

Piepkorn was critical of past legislation to lower the oil extraction tax, as well as tax exemptions for energy companies.

“Every session that I was on the Energy and Natural Resource Committee, the oil companies were back looking for another exemption, chipping away at the taxes that they pay,” Piepkorn said.

Armstrong defended incentives for the energy industry, which he said allowed the Bakken to be developed.

“We had smart policy that allowed people to come in here and invest and create generational wealth for this entire state,” Armstrong said. “And I think it’s a fantastic thing, not something to apologize for.”

Coachman accused Armstrong of personally benefiting from legislation during the 2017 legislative session related to oil and gas minerals under Lake Sakakawea.

A bill Armstrong sponsored that year ordered a review of the historical ordinary high water mark of the Missouri River before the construction of the Garrison Dam, which created Lake Sakakawea. The legislation sought to resolve uncertainty over mineral ownership. Millions of dollars had been held in escrow or in suspense amid ownership disputes.

Coachman said Armstrong failed to disclose that he would personally benefit from the legislation. Armstrong said Coachman’s claim is wrong and said he had zero mineral acres held in suspense by North Dakota.

Armstrong said he remains proud of that legislation, which he said returned royalties to North Dakota farmers and ranchers. 

Armstrong, who earns most of his personal income from the oil and gas industry, said if elected governor he would recuse himself from voting on the North Dakota Industrial Commission on issues affecting his father’s operating company and any issue in which he has a unique interest.

Piepkorn said electing a member of the Democratic-NPL Party to the three-member Industrial Commission would bring “clarity and transparency” to the conversations.

Ethics

When asked if the Republican supermajority in the Legislature has created ethical concerns due to a lack of accountability, Coachman said lawmakers shouldn’t be taking advantage of the people of North Dakota to benefit themselves.

“They just keep protecting each other,” Coachman said.

Piepkorn said the Republican supermajority has created a sense of entitlement.

All three were asked about state Rep Jason Dockter, R-Bismarck, who was found guilty of a misdemeanor conflict of interest crime and continues to serve in the Legislature.

Coachman and Piepkorn said they would resign if they were found guilty of a similar crime.

Armstrong said he would never put himself in that position. When pressed on whether he would resign, Armstrong said: “I would have a hard time understanding how I would be able to represent my voters.”

Commerce department

In response to a question about the state Department of Commerce, Coachman said he would audit the department, along with other state government spending. If the audit shows the department is spending too much money, Coachman said he would “eliminate them.”

Piepkorn said members of Commerce often told legislators how much investment could come into the state if they changed some of the state’s laws.

“I think we really need to keep an eye on the Commerce Department,” Piepkorn said. “And also, be wary of corporate interests coming in and really taking over the state.”

Armstrong said the state should focus on transparency, accountability, workforce and affordable housing issues before any projects should be discussed.

“We don’t need a bunch of trillion dollar infrastructure projects in the state of North Dakota right now because we don’t have anywhere for those people to live and we don’t have the employees to do that,” Armstrong said.