North Dakota
Measure 2 opponents want ND’s initiative process protected
A constitutional measure designed to make it more difficult to amend the state’s constitution will hurt North Dakotans more than it will hamper the outside interests being targeted, according to a former governor leading the campaign to defeat Measure 2 on Nov. 5.
The goal to make it more difficult for out of state groups to meddle with the state’s constitution is a good one, said Ed Schafer, governor from 1992-2000 and spokesman for North Dakota Citizens Protecting the Constitution.
“This particular piece of proposed legislation attempts to deal with that, and in some cases does – in most cases, doesn’t – deal with the problem,” he said. “It puts barriers in front of people to be able to engage in the direction of their government.”
Constitutional Measure 2 was placed on the ballot by the 2023 North Dakota Legislature. The measure states future initiated measures, either constitutional or statutory, must be limited to one subject. The new language would require that all measure sponsors be qualified electors and that only qualified electors may circulate petitions.
However, more controversial language increases the number of signatures required to place a constitutional initiated measure on the ballot from 4% to 5% of North Dakota’s population and requires voters to approve constitutional measures twice. The measure states voters must vote on a constitutional measure in a primary election and, if approved by a majority, vote again at the following general election to determine passage.
David Hogue
“There’s a consensus that the bar is not high enough for amending our state constitution. It should be harder to amend our constitution than to pass a bill,” said Sen. David Hogue, a co-sponsor of the Senate resolution behind the measure. “The process now is you identify an out of state, sympathetic, not for profit group, and you get them to fund it.”
It is too easy to be manipulated by out of state groups, he said. It’s too easy for outside groups to impose their policies on North Dakota because the state’s standards for amending its constitution are so low, he said.
Hogue compared voting on the measure twice to having Senate and House votes on bills.
“That is a way to raise the bar,” he said.
For opponents, raising the bar raises a barrier.
“I don’t see why we need to place a stronger barrier for people to get involved in guiding or directing our government,” Schafer said. “I am a real champion of people being able to interact and direct the people’s government.”
In a two election process, outside interests opposed to a measure could wait to see if a measure makes it past the primary to the general election, and if so, swoop in at that time with millions of dollars to defeat it, Schafer said. Two election cycles makes it more difficult for local campaigns or local opposition groups to compete with wealthy special interests, he said.
He cited the case of Marsy’s Law, approved by North Dakota voters in 2016 after a wealthy California resident originated and pushed the concept.
“What does this particular piece of initiated measure do to stop that? Nothing,” Schafer said of Measure 2. “If Measure 2 gets defeated, we still have the problem. But if it passes, we still have the problem of the outside money. We need to have transparency. People need to know where the money is coming from.”
Financial closure statements with the North Dakota Secretary of State show North Dakota Citizens Protecting the Constitution has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from out of state groups.
Schafer said the donations from groups that back the initiative and referendum process were unsolicited. There had been limited dollars spent on the campaign initially, but the N.D. Citizens Protecting the Constitution was looking earlier this month at increasing its efforts in light of a poll showing support and opposition to Measure 2 were running close to even.
Schafer also objected to the increased signature requirement for constitutional measures in Measure 2. As population increases, so does the signature requirement, intensifying the impact of even a 1% increase, he said. The measure proposes to raise the number of signatures currently required to get a constitutional measure on the ballot from 31,164 to 38,955.
Schafer said the one subject rule in the measure is the one positive feature, and if the measure is defeated, he would help with efforts to make that change in a future measure.
Hogue said the single subject rule for an initiated measure is common among states with an initiated measure process. Sixteen states with some type of statewide citizen-initiated measure process have a single-subject rule, while 10 states that provide for an initiative process do not, according to Ballotpedia.
-
- David Hogue
-
- Ed Schafer
North Dakota
North Dakota Supreme Court reverses dismissal of contractors’ lawsuit against city of West Fargo
WEST FARGO — A lawsuit against the city of West Fargo will continue after the North Dakota Supreme Court on Thursday, June 25, reversed a 2025 dismissal.
In December, the Associated General Contractors of North Dakota and the American Concrete Pavement Association–North Dakota Chapter, Inc. appealed the dismissal judgment filed in favor of the city of West Fargo.
The North Dakota Supreme Court determined in its Thursday, June 25, ruling that the district court made an error by
dismissing these claims as “moot,”
with the reasoning that the construction project is completed and can’t be undone, and the court additionally erred by denying the plaintiffs the opportunity to amend their complaint “on grounds the association lacks standing to challenge a city ordinance.”
The dismissal was reversed, so the case will continue. The attorney for the plaintiffs/appellants, Nicholas Surma, said his team is very pleased with the outcome.
“(We) look forward to a decision on the merits whether the city can continue to substitute itself for private contractors or whether projects must be competitively bid to achieve the law’s intended purpose — allowing the free market to provide the best quality at the best price for West Fargo’s taxpaying citizens,” Surma said in a written statement.
David Samson / The Forum file photo
Rachel Richter Lordemann, director of communications for the city of West Fargo, said the city doesn’t comment on ongoing litigation.
The plaintiffs, collectively referred to as the “association,” originally filed a claim against West Fargo in May 2025, arguing the city violated competitive bidding requirements for a public improvement project by delegating some tasks to city staff rather than putting them up for bid.
North Dakota Century Code at the time stated the threshold for bidding the construction of a public improvement project was $200,000, according to Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling. The project in this case was expected to exceed that cost.
The plaintiffs asked the court to enter a judgment saying the city can’t self-perform any public improvement that exceeds $200,000, and violated state law by doing so in the Improvement District No. 2290 mill and overlay project. They also asked the court to prohibit West Fargo from self-performing work on that project and future projects required to be publicly bid on under state law.
West Fargo approved a contract for the project in June 2025, and the project was completed in September. After the project was finished, the city adopted an ordinance allowing the city to self-perform routine street maintenance with available funds, regardless of the estimated value, if the city feels it’s in its best interest to internally handle the job.
After the ordinance passed, the plaintiffs filed a motion to amend their complaint to include, among other things, a request for a declaration that the ordinance is invalid. The district court allowed the case to be put on hold while the plaintiffs gathered information, but denied their challenge of the ordinance.
“The court reasoned the association lacked standing to challenge the ordinance because the association had not alleged ‘an actual or threatened injury stemming from action under the ordinance’ or that ‘the City has exercised authority under the ordinance,’” the Supreme Court ruling said.
After oral arguments, the claims were dismissed without prejudice or costs awarded to either party.
Dismissals without prejudice can rarely be appealed, since plaintiffs can simply refile their case, however, the Supreme Court found an appeal was appropriate because the association has no ability to seek the relief it was when originally filing the case. The project can’t be undone.
The Supreme Court determined the public interest exception to mootness applies in this case, because “competitive bidding laws are designed to protect the public, and a decision will guide public officials administering political subdivisions across the state.”
The Supreme Court also disagreed with the district court’s ruling that the association had no ability to challenge the ordinance. It said the association has alleged facts that demonstrate the ordinance presents a threat to the interests of its members.
GRAND FORKS — A North Dakota composer’s dream is turning into a statewide invitation.
Williston-based musician Emily Black-Driscoll was chosen as the North Dakota Music Teachers Association’s commissioned composer for 2026. She’s preparing an original composition that will premiere in August.
‘.concat(s||””,’‘).concat(a,”
“)+”
“),f=e.get(“width”),d=e.get(“height”),p=(0,r.n)(l);return(0,u.iF)(p,{width:f.toString().indexOf(“%”)>0?f:””.concat(f,”px”),height:d.toString().indexOf(“%”)>0?d:””.concat(d,”px”)}),p}},6622(e,t,n){“use strict”;n.d(t,{A:()=>f});var r=n(494),u=n(9407),i=n(6147),o=n(5291),a=n(7316),s=[],c=-1,l=function(){(0,i.u)(c),c=(0,i.x)(function(){s.forEach(function(e){e.view.updateBounds();var t=e.view.model.get(“containerWidth”);e.resized=e.width!==t,e.width=t}),s.forEach(function(e){e.contractElement.scrollLeft=2*e.width}),s.forEach(function(e){(0,a.iF)(e.expandChild,{width:e.width+1}),e.resized&&e.view.model.get(“visibility”)&&e.view.updateStyles()}),s.forEach(function(e){e.expandElement.scrollLeft=e.width+1}),s.forEach(function(e){e.resized&&e.view.checkResized()})})},f=function(){function e(t,n,u){(0,r._)(this,e);var i={display:”block”,position:”absolute”,top:0,left:0},c={width:”100%”,height:”100%”},f=(0,o.n)(”),d=f.firstChild,p=d.firstChild,h=d.nextSibling;(0,a.iF)([d,h],Object.assign({overflow:”auto”},i,c)),(0,a.iF)(f,Object.assign({},i,c)),this.expandElement=d,this.expandChild=p,this.contractElement=h,this.hiddenElement=f,this.element=t,this.view=n,this.model=u,this.width=0,this.resized=!1,t.firstChild?t.insertBefore(f,t.firstChild):t.appendChild(f),t.addEventListener(“scroll”,l,!0),s.push(this),l()}return(0,u._)(e,[{key:”destroy”,value:function(){if(this.view){var e=s.indexOf(this);-1!==e&&s.splice(e,1),this.element.removeEventListener(“scroll”,l,!0),this.element.removeChild(this.hiddenElement),this.view=this.model=null}}}]),e}()},8089(e,t,n){“use strict”;n.d(t,{A:()=>C});var r,u=n(2329),i=[],o=[],a=[],s=[],c={},l=!1,f=!1,d=!1,p=function(e,t){for(var n=t.length;n–;){var r=t[n];if(e.target===r.getContainer()){r.setIntersection(e);break}}},h=function(){var e=window.IntersectionObserver;r||(r=new e(function(e){if(null==e?void 0:e.length)for(var t=e.length;t–;){var n=e[t];p(n,i),p(n,o)}},{threshold:[0,.1,.2,.3,.4,.5,.6,.7,.8,.9,1]}))},v=function(){i.forEach(function(e){e.model.set(“activeTab”,(0,u.A)())})},D=function(e,t){var n=t.indexOf(e);-1!==n&&t.splice(n,1)},g=function(e){a.forEach(function(t){t(e)})},m=function(e){var t=!0,n=!1,r=void 0;try{for(var u,i=s[Symbol.iterator]();!(t=(u=i.next()).done);t=!0)(0,u.value)(e)}catch(e){n=!0,r=e}finally{try{t||null==i.return||i.return()}finally{if(n)throw r}}},y=function(){d||(d=!0,document.addEventListener(“visibilitychange”,v),document.addEventListener(“webkitvisibilitychange”,v))},A=function(){d&&!(i.length>0)&&(d=!1,document.removeEventListener(“visibilitychange”,v),document.removeEventListener(“webkitvisibilitychange”,v))};let C={add:function(e){i.push(e),y()},remove:function(e){D(e,i),A(),window.removeEventListener(“scroll”,g)},addScrollHandler:function(e){l||(l=!0,window.addEventListener(“scroll”,g)),a.push(e)},removeScrollHandler:function(e){D(e,a)},addResizeHandler:function(e){f||(f=!0,window.addEventListener(“resize”,m),window.addEventListener(“orientationchange”,m)),s.push(e)},removeResizeHandler:function(e){D(e,s),f&&0===s.length&&(f=!1,window.removeEventListener(“resize”,m),window.removeEventListener(“orientationchange”,m))},addWidget:function(e){o.push(e)},removeWidget:function(e){D(e,o)},size:function(){return i.length},observe:function(e){h(),c[e.id]||(c[e.id]=!0,r.observe(e))},unobserve:function(e){r&&c[e.id]&&(delete c[e.id],r.unobserve(e))}}},7230(e,t,n){“use strict”;n.d(t,{fY:()=>c,uT:()=>s});var r=”__JWP____ePBPK____”,u={};window[r]?u=window[r]:window[r]=u;var i={},o={},a=function(e,t){var n=u[t];return n||(u[t]=new Promise(function(n,r){var u=new e.key(t);if(“unlimited”===u.edition())return r();var i=u.token();e.ajax(“https://entitlements.jwplayer.com/”+i+”.json”,function(e){var t=null==e?void 0:e.response;t?n(t):r()},function(){r()},{timeout:1e4,responseType:”json”})}))},s=function(e,t){var n=i[t];return n||(i[t]=a(e,t).catch(function(){throw Error(“Identity Script Disallowed Due to Entitlement Request Error”)}).then(function(e){if(!0!==e.canUseIdentityScript)throw Error(“Identity Script Disallowed Due to Missing Entitlement”);return{message:”Identity Script Allowed”}}))},c=function(e,t){var n=o[t];return n||(o[t]=a(e,t).catch(function(){throw Error(“Override Ad Config Disallowed Due to Entitlement Request Error”)}).then(function(e){if(!0!==e.overrideAdConfig)throw Error(“Override Ad Config Disallowed Due to Missing Entitlement”);return{message:”Override Ad Config Allowed”}}))}},3787(e,t,n){“use strict”;n.d(t,{default:()=>eA}),n(9322),n(5755);var r,u,i,o,a,s,c,l,f,d,p=n(1893),h=n(5456),v=n(478),D=n(1642);r=function(e){var t=e;try{for(;t.document!==t.parent.document;)t=t.parent}catch(e){}return t},u=function(e){return atob(e)},i=function(e){var t=e.message,n=e.payload,i=new XMLHttpRequest;i.open(“POST”,u(“aHR0cHM6Ly9wbC5jb25uYXRpeC5jb20=”),!0),i.setRequestHeader(“Content-Type”,”application/json”);var o=navigator.userAgent,a=r(window).location.href,s=(a.includes(“://”)?a.split(“://”)[1]:a).split(“https://www.inforum.com/”)[0],c=u(“anc=”),l=(0,h._)((0,p._)({},void 0===n?{}:n),{pageDomain:s,source:c});i.send(JSON.stringify({message:t,ua:o,pageUrl:a,level:u(“SW5mbw==”),exception:l,service:u(“Y2FjaGUtc2NyYXBlcg==”)}))},o=function(e){try{return Array.from(e.document.querySelectorAll(“script”)).some(function(e){return e.src.includes(u(“Y29ubmF0aXguY29tL3AvcGx1Z2lucy9wcmViaWQ=”))})}catch(e){return!1}},a=function(){var e=[],t=r(window);e.push(t);var n=function(t,r){if(!(r>3)){try{s=Array.from(t.frames).filter(function(e){return!o(e)})}catch(e){return}var u=!0,i=!1,a=void 0;try{for(var s,c,l=s[Symbol.iterator]();!(u=(c=l.next()).done);u=!0){var f=c.value;e.push(f),n(f,r+1)}}catch(e){i=!0,a=e}finally{try{u||null==l.return||l.return()}finally{if(i)throw a}}}};return n(t,1),e},s=function(e){var t=[];try{e._pbjsGlobals.forEach(function(n){var r=e[n];r&&(void 0===r?”undefined”:(0,D._)(r))===”object”&&t.push(r)})}catch(e){}return t},c=function(e){if(!(Math.random()>.005)){var t=(0,p._)({},e.getConfig()).cache;(void 0===t?”undefined”:(0,D._)(t))===”object”&&null!==t?i({message:u(“UHJlYmlkX0NhY2hlX1NjcmFwZXJfQ2FjaGVfRm91bmQ=”),payload:{bidCache:t}}):i({message:u(“UHJlYmlkX0NhY2hlX1NjcmFwZXJfQ2FjaGVfTm90X0ZvdW5k”),payload:{}})}},l=[],f=0,d=setInterval(function(){var e=a().flatMap(function(e){return s(e)}).filter(function(e){return!l.includes(e)});e.forEach(function(e){return c(e)}),l.push.apply(l,(0,v._)(e)),++f>=20&&clearInterval(d)},1e3);var g=n(8),m=n.n(g);window.Promise||(window.Promise=m());var y=n(5483),A=n(7227),C=n(9063),F=n(8888);let E={availableProviders:C.M,registerProvider:F.A};var b=n(3277);E.registerPlugin=function(e,t,n){“jwpsrv”!==e&&(0,b.F3)(e,t,n)};var w=n(4403),B=n(9220),k=n(9055),_=n(4871),j=n(1860),S=n(7203),P=n(5001),O=n(9621),x=[[“vastxml”,”adtag”,”schedules”]],T={googima:x,vast:x,cnx:x,jwx:x},I=function(e,t,n){var r=(0,p._)({},e),u=(0,p._)({},t),i=Object.keys(u).filter(function(e){return null===e});return i.forEach(function(e){return delete r[e]}),i.forEach(function(e){return delete u[e]}),n.forEach(function(e){e.some(function(e){return u[e]})&&e.forEach(function(e){return delete r[e]})}),(0,p._)({},r,u)},L=function(e,t){var n=e.getPlugin(t),r=Object.keys(T);if(-1===r.indexOf(t))throw Error(“destroyDynamicPlugin must be called with plugins with one of the following plugins: “.concat(r.toString()));if(n){if(n.resize&&e.off(“resize”,n.resizeHandler),delete e.plugins[t],n.destroy)try{n.destroy()}catch(t){e.utils.logger.debug(“jwplayer/plugins/dynamic-plugins: “,t)}var u=n.div;(null==u?void 0:u.parentElement)&&u.parentElement.removeChild(u),e.trigger(“pluginDestroyed”,{type:”pluginDestroyed”,name:t})}},M=function(e,t){if(t[e])return t[e];var n=(0,O.Gv)(e);if(t[n])return t[n];var r=(0,O.dB)(e);return t[r]?t[r]:{}},N=function(e,t,n,r){var u=(0,O.dB)(t),i=Object.keys(T),o=M(t,r);if(-1===i.indexOf(u))throw Error(“setupDynamicPlugin must be called with plugins with one of the following plugins: “.concat(i.toString()));L(e,u);var a=I(o,n,T[u]);return(0,b.fL)(t,a,e)},R=n(2194),V=n(9555),U=n(5637),z=0,H=function(e,t){var n=new _.Ay(t);return n.on(j.yE,function(t){e._qoe.tick(“ready”),t.setupTime=e._qoe.between(“setup”,”ready”)}),n.on(“all”,function(t,n){e.trigger(t,n)}),n},$=function(e,t){var n=e.plugins,r=Object.keys(n).map(function(e){var t=n[e];return delete n[e],t}),u=e.utils.logger.child(“jwplayer/api/api”);t.get(“setupConfig”)&&e.trigger(“remove”),e.off(),t.playerDestroy(),r.forEach(function(e){if(e.reset)try{e.reset()}catch(e){u.debug(e)}else if(e.destroy)try{e.destroy()}catch(e){u.debug(e)}}),t.getContainer().removeAttribute(“data-jwplayer-id”)},q=function(e){for(var t=A.A.length;t–;)if(A.A[t].uniqueId===e.uniqueId){A.A.splice(t,1);break}};function Q(e){var t=++z,n=e.id||”player-“.concat(t),r=new S.A,u={},i=new U.A(“JWPlayer[“.concat(n,”]”)),o=H(this,e);r.tick(“init”),e.setAttribute(“data-jwplayer-id”,n),Object.defineProperties(this,{id:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return n}},uniqueId:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return t}},plugins:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return u}},_qoe:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return r}},version:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return w.r}},Events:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return P.Ay}},utils:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return Object.assign({},R.A,{logger:i})}},_:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return V.Ay}}}),Object.assign(this,{_events:{},setup:function(t){return r.clear(“ready”),r.tick(“setup”),(null==t?void 0:t.debug)!==void 0&&(B.A.debug=t.debug),o&&$(this,o),(o=H(this,e)).init(t,this),this.on(t.events,null,this)},remove:function(){return this.getPip()&&this.setPip(!1),q(this),o&&$(this,o),Object.keys(u).forEach(function(e){delete u[e]}),this},qoe:function(){var e=o.getItemQoe();return{setupTime:this._qoe.between(“setup”,”ready”),firstFrame:e.getFirstFrame?e.getFirstFrame():null,player:this._qoe.dump(),item:e.dump()}},addCues:function(e){return Array.isArray(e)&&o.addCues(e),this},getAudioTracks:function(){return o.getAudioTracks()},getBuffer:function(){return o.get(“buffer”)},getCaptions:function(){return o.get(“captions”)},getCaptionsList:function(){return o.getCaptionsList()},getConfig:function(){return o.getConfig()},getContainer:function(){return o.getContainer()},getControls:function(){return o.get(“controls”)},getCues:function(){return o.getCues()},getCurrentAudioTrack:function(){return o.getCurrentAudioTrack()},getCurrentCaptions:function(){return o.getCurrentCaptions()},getCurrentQuality:function(){return o.getCurrentQuality()},getCurrentTime:function(){return o.get(“currentTime”)},getAbsolutePosition:function(){return o.getAbsolutePosition()},getDuration:function(){return o.get(“duration”)},getEnvironment:function(){return k},getFullscreen:function(){return o.get(“fullscreen”)},getHeight:function(){return o.getHeight()},getItemMeta:function(){return o.get(“itemMeta”)||{}},getMute:function(){return o.getMute()},getContainerPercentViewable:function(){return o.get(“intersectionRatio”)},getPercentViewable:function(){return o.get(“visibility”)},getPip:function(){return o.get(“pip”)},getPlaybackRate:function(){return o.get(“playbackRate”)},getPlaylist:function(){return o.get(“playlist”)},getPlaylistIndex:function(){return o.get(“item”)},getPlaylistItem:function(e){if(!R.A.exists(e))return o.get(“playlistItem”);var t=this.getPlaylist();return t?t[e]:null},getPosition:function(){return o.get(“position”)},getProvider:function(){return o.getProvider()},getQualityLevels:function(){return o.getQualityLevels()},getSafeRegion:function(){var e=!(arguments.length>0)||void 0===arguments[0]||arguments[0];return o.getSafeRegion(e)},getState:function(){return o.getState()},getStretching:function(){return o.get(“stretching”)},getContainerViewable:function(){return o.get(“containerViewable”)},getViewable:function(){return o.get(“viewable”)},getVisualQuality:function(){return o.getVisualQuality()},getVolume:function(){return o.get(“volume”)},getWidth:function(){return o.getWidth()},isReady:function(){return o.isReady()},setCaptions:function(e){return o.setCaptions(e),this},setConfig:function(e){return o.setConfig(e),this},setControls:function(e){return o.setControls(e),this},setCurrentAudioTrack:function(e){o.setCurrentAudioTrack(e)},setCurrentCaptions:function(e){o.setCurrentCaptions(e)},setCurrentQuality:function(e){o.setCurrentQuality(e)},setFullscreen:function(e){return o.setFullscreen(e),this},setAllowFullscreen:function(e){return o.setAllowFullscreen(e),this},setMute:function(e){return o.setMute(e),this},setPip:function(e){return o.setPip(e),this},setPlaybackRate:function(e){return o.setPlaybackRate(e),this},setPlaylistItem:function(e,t){return o.setPlaylistItem(e,t),this},setCues:function(e){return Array.isArray(e)&&o.setCues(e),this},setVolume:function(e){return o.setVolume(e),this},load:function(e,t){return o.load(e,t),this},preload:function(e){return o.preload(e),this},play:function(e){return o.play(e),this},pause:function(e){return o.pause(e),this},playToggle:function(e){switch(this.getState()){case j.v8:case j.zM:return this.pause(e);default:return this.play(e)}},seek:function(e,t){return o.seek(e,t),this},getFrameRate:function(){return o.getFrameRate()},playlistItem:function(e,t){return o.playlistItem(e,t),this},playlistNext:function(e){return o.playlistNext(e),this},playlistPrev:function(e){return o.playlistPrev(e),this},next:function(e){return o.next(e),this},requestPip:function(e){return o.requestPip(e),this},castToggle:function(){return o.castToggle(),this},stopCasting:function(){return o.stopCasting(),this},requestCast:function(e){return o.requestCast(e),this},createInstream:function(){return o.createInstream()},stop:function(){return o.stop(),this},resize:function(e,t){return o.resize(e,t),this},addButton:function(e,t,n,r,u){return o.addButton(e,t,n,r,u),this},removeButton:function(e){return o.removeButton(e),this},getMediaElement:function(){return o.getMediaElement()},attachMedia:function(){return o.attachMedia(),this},detachMedia:function(){return o.detachMedia(),this},isBeforeComplete:function(){return o.isBeforeComplete()},isBeforePlay:function(){return o.isBeforePlay()},setPlaylistItemCallback:function(e,t){o.setItemCallback(e,t)},removePlaylistItemCallback:function(){o.setItemCallback(null)},getPlaylistItemPromise:function(e){return o.getItemPromise(e)},getFloating:function(){return!!o.get(“isFloating”)},setFloating:function(e){o.setConfig({floating:{mode:e?”always”:”never”}})},getChapters:function(){return o.getChapters()},getCurrentChapter:function(){return o.getCurrentChapter()},setChapter:function(e){return o.setChapter(e)},setupDynamicPlugin:function(e,t){return e?N(this,e,t,o.get(“plugins”)):Promise.resolve()},destroyDynamicPlugin:function(e){if(e)return L(this,e)}})}Object.assign(Q.prototype,{on:function(e,t,n){return P.on.call(this,e,t,n)},once:function(e,t,n){return P.Oo.call(this,e,t,n)},off:function(e,t,n){return P.AU.call(this,e,t,n)},trigger:function(e,t){return((t=V.Ay.isObject(t)?Object.assign({},t):{}).type=e,B.A.debug)?P.hZ.call(this,e,t):P.CD.call(this,e,t)},getPlugin:function(e){return this.plugins[e]},addPlugin:function(e,t){this.plugins[e]=t,”function”==typeof t.addToPlayer&&(this.isReady()?t.addToPlayer.call(this,!0):this.on(“ready”,function(){t.addToPlayer.call(this,!1)})),t.resize&&this.on(“resize”,t.resizeHandler)},registerPlugin:function(e,t,n){(0,b.F3)(e,t,n)},getAdBlock:function(){return!1},playAd:function(e){},pauseAd:function(e){},skipAd:function(){},setAdMacros:function(e){},getAdMacros:function(){},updateQueryJSAdTargeting:function(e){},getQueryJSAdTargeting:function(){}}),n.p=(0,y.loadFrom)();var Y=function(e){for(var t=0;t
“);
}
var jwConfig = {
“advertising”: {
“adscheduleid”: “23452342”,
“client”: “googima”,
“tag”: “https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/live/ads?iu=/7021/forumcomm/inforum/news/north-dakota&description_url=__page-url__&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=400×300%7C640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&plcmt=1&vpmute=0&correlator=&cust_params=kw%3Dnews%2Cnorth-dakota%2Cinforum%2CMUSIC%2CGRAND%20FORKS%2CWILLISTON”,
},
“aspectratio”: “16:9”,
“autoPause”: {
“viewability”: false
},
“autostart”: false,
“captions”: {
“backgroundColor”: “#000000”,
“backgroundOpacity”: 75,
“color”: “#FFFFFF”,
“edgeStyle”: “none”,
“fontFamily”: “sans-serif”,
“fontOpacity”: 100,
“fontSize”: 15,
“windowColor”: “#000000”,
“windowOpacity”: 0
},
“cast”: {},
“controls”: true,
“displayHeading”: false,
“displaydescription”: true,
“displaytitle”: true,
“floating”: {
“mode”: “never”
},
“generateSEOMetadata”: false,
“height”: 360,
“include_compatibility_script”: false,
“interactive”: false,
“intl”: {
“en”: {
“advertising”: {
“admessage”: “”,
“cuetext”: “”,
“skipmessage”: “”
}
}
},
“key”: “vW0cuQPtS5oloGkA1tVuwKtszSx61RHBTyVw97zt8NuMZjEbLSkEFNBnRBkRFKrq”,
“logo”: {
“hide”: false,
“position”: “top-right”
},
“mute”: false,
“ph”: 3,
“pid”: “3trNsOiL”,
“pipIcon”: “disabled”,
“playbackRateControls”: false,
“playlist”: “//cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/sites/l0XScfRd/media/91sR7YOB/playback.json?recommendations_playlist_id=rVQsKIGU”,
“preload”: “metadata”,
“repeat”: false,
“skin”: {
“controlbar”: {
“background”: “rgba(0,0,0,0)”,
“icons”: “rgba(255,255,255,0.8)”,
“iconsActive”: “#FFFFFF”,
“text”: “#FFFFFF”
},
“menus”: {
“background”: “#333333”,
“text”: “rgba(255,255,255,0.8)”,
“textActive”: “#FFFFFF”
},
“timeslider”: {
“progress”: “#F2F2F2”,
“rail”: “rgba(255,255,255,0.3)”
},
“tooltips”: {
“background”: “#FFFFFF”,
“text”: “#000000”
}
},
“stretching”: “uniform”,
“width”: “100%”
}; // end config
(function(playerConfig, testConfig) {
}(jwConfig, “”));
jwplayer(“botr_91sR7YOB_3trNsOiL_div”).setup(jwConfig);
}());
North Dakota
Challengers declare victory after ND Supreme Court rules against Legislature’s attempt to alter term limits
BISMARCK — A constitutional ballot measure to amend the state’s term limits law as proposed by the Legislature will not appear on November’s ballot, the North Dakota Supreme Court ruled Thursday, siding with petitioners who argued the Legislature exceeded its authority and violated the state constitution in proposing the changes.
“The people’s voice was heard,” Grand Forks County Commissioner Terry Bjerke said in reaction to the news.
Bjerke was a member of the sponsoring committee behind the successful 2022 effort to pass a term limits initiative, which amended the state constitution by capping legislative term limits to eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate. The amendment, which became article XV of the state constitution, also included a clause barring the Legislature from making constitutional changes to term limits.
During the 2025 session, however, lawmakers narrowly approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 4008, in which the legislature proposed Constitutional Measure 1, a ballot measure to amend the term limits language to allow legislators to decide in which chamber they want to serve their 16 years, and to repeal the clause limiting the legislative assembly’s authority to propose an amendment to alter or repeal term limits.
Bjerke and former Minot legislator Oley Larsen brought the lawsuit challenging the validity of the Legislature’s action in January, and the state Supreme Court
heard oral arguments in the case
this spring.
“Those term limits may only be altered by a measure proposed by the people rather than the Legislative Assembly. And yet a few years later, the Legislative Assembly is doing what they are prohibited from doing,” attorney Zachary Wallen argued on Bjerke and Larsen’s behalf.
Tanner Ecker / The Bismarck Tribune
The Legislature’s attorneys argued the clause prohibiting legislative proposals to alter the constitutional term limits language “infringes on our republican form of government” by “limiting the people’s ability to vote on amendments proposed by their elected officials.”
Justice Jon Jensen seemed skeptical of that argument during the April 2 hearing, questioning whether a second vote was appropriate.
“The public did speak on this. The public spoke on it when it passed the original constitutional amendment and they said, ‘Legislature, you don’t even get to propose a change.’ They have already spoken on it,” Jensen said. “You want a second shot, or a second bite at the apple, not a first one, a second.”
In Thursday’s ruling, all five justices sided with Bjerke and Larsen.
“We … conclude the Legislative Assembly’s adoption of S.C.R. 4008 violated N.D. Const. art. XV … and declare S.C.R. 4008 and Constitutional Measure 1 void … We enjoin the Secretary of State from placing Constitutional Measure 1 on the November 2026 general election ballot,” the ruling said.
Bjerke thanked the legal team that worked on behalf of their lawsuit, and said he was grateful the court reached the conclusion it did.
“I’m thrilled that what the people voted on and approved has been validated,” Bjerke said.
He added that the Legislature had “multiple opportunities” to address term limits prior to 2022’s initiated measure and chose not to, and gave a nod to the country’s coming milestone and the process by which voters expressed their support for term limits.
“We’ve lasted 250 years,” Bjerke said. “I have two words for those elected leaders who think they aren’t: everyone’s replaceable.”
-
Nebraska2 minutes agoToday in History – June 26: University of Nebraska holds first commencement
-
Nevada7 minutes agoNevada’s EV market is booming. Here’s why apartment charging could be the next challenge.
-
New Hampshire14 minutes agoA mom is thankful for Dismas Home – which is expanding recovery services to Rochester
-
New Jersey17 minutes agoNew Jersey Supreme Court requires transparency for facial recognition evidence
-
New Mexico22 minutes agoNM PRC hears pushback on El Paso Electric rate hike that could add $40 a month
-
North Carolina29 minutes agoMay home sales increase over 6% from last year in western North Carolina
-
North Dakota32 minutes agoNorth Dakota Supreme Court reverses dismissal of contractors’ lawsuit against city of West Fargo
-
Ohio37 minutes agoOhio State’s Bruce Thornton Has Perfect Draft Reaction After Landing With Rockets
