North Dakota
North Dakota Senate passes bill to standardize election laws, remove power from localities
BISMARCK — The North Dakota Senate passed a bill on Monday to standardize state election laws, removing some power from home rule counties and cities in the state.
House Bill 1307
would cement the supersession of state election law over local election laws, including local election laws in home rule counties and cities. Home rule counties or cities have adopted a home rule charter that gives them additional liberties in how they structure their local government, and enact and enforce laws — at times even superseding state laws inside their jurisdiction.
Under the bill, any election law adopted by a county or city that is in conflict with state election laws would be void.
The exception to this would be the number of signatures required for a candidate to make it on the ballot, according to the bill’s carrier Sen. Jose Castaneda, R-Minot. Home rule cities would still be able to independently set the number of signatures required for a candidate to make it on the ballot for local elections.
Castaneda said the goal of the bill was to standardize election laws in the state so localities cannot adopt rules that might get rid of mail-in ballots or early voting.
The Senate added an amendment to ensure park district elections were covered by the bill.
The bill has received pushback from North Dakota home rule cities and counties.
Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney submitted written testimony opposing the bill. He said creating election conformity across the state is a “laudable” goal, but an impractical one because of the various election procedures that North Dakota voters have already approved to “reflect the wishes” of home rule cities and counties.
The North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office has supported the bill. Officials submitted written testimony on the bill that said allowing cities and counties to adopt practices that may be in conflict with statewide election administration can create election integrity questions. This bill would prevent that.
The bill previously passed the House with a 79-13 vote, received a unanimous recommendation to pass from the Senate State and Local Government Committee and passed the Senate in a 45-2 vote. It now goes back to the House of Representatives for a vote of concurrence before it can be passed on to the governor.
Bismarck— Ashley Gaschk was elected to serve as the president and secreatary-treasurer of the North Dakota AFL-CIO at its convention.
“Being a union member has improved my life in many ways, and I look forward to spending the next four years working to improve the lives of union members across our state,” Gaschk said via news release. “On the job and in our communities, union members fight for fair pay and benefits, secure retirement, and expanded opportunities for all of North Dakota’s working families. I’m honored to have been elected and eager to get to work.”
Gaschk is an educator by trade, teaching middle school English in Mandan, N.D., since 2017. She is a member of the Mandan Education Association where she has served as a building representative, local union recording secretary, contract negotiator and delegate to the Missouri Slope Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Gaschk also taught in Minnesota, where she was a member of Education Minnesota. In addition to teaching, Gaschk worked as staff for the Transport Workers Union in the Legislative and Political Affairs department in Washington, DC. She later honed her organizing skills working as a field organizer for Working America, leading canvasses of union households in Minnesota.
Gaschk will replace Landis Larson, who is retiring after 40 years of service dedicated to the labor movement. He is a member of the International Association of Machinists local lodge 2525 and plans on staying active in the local labor movement. Larson served six years as North Dakota AFL-CIO president before announcing his retirement this spring.
“It’s been an honor to serve the labor movement. I’m proud of the work we’ve done and I know the future of the movement is in good hands” Larson said.
The North Dakota AFL-CIO convention also re-elected Deb Carter (United Steelworkers Local 560) as first vice president as well as Nick Archuleta (North Dakota United), Bob Wolf (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 714), and Dana Hillius (North Dakota United) as trustees.
The delegates to the 66th Annual North Dakota AFL-CIO convention passed resolutions in solidarity with federal workers, United States Postal Service workers and immigrant workers, as well as resolutions in support for Job Corp and in opposition to Medicaid cuts.
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FARGO — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is urging drivers to use caution when traveling on roads near wildlife, especially in rural areas.
Deer and bears are commonly involved in vehicle crashes, with accidents most likely to occur between 5-7 a.m. and 7-11 p.m.
If a driver is close to hitting an animal, officials say it’s safer not to swerve. Swerving increases the risk of a more serious crash, such as a head-on collision or rolling into a ditch.
If a collision results in the animal’s death, drivers are only required to call 911 if someone is injured or if the animal creates a dangerous obstruction on the road.
“Just because one deer moves away from the road or one deer moves across the road doesn’t mean there aren’t more deer around there,” said Doug Leier, biologist with the Game and Fish Department. “Be very, very vigilant. Be watching. Just because you see one critter and it crosses or gets out of the way doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily safe.”
Leier recommends drivers stay alert and reduce speed in areas known for wildlife crossings.
Drew Berg started at The Forum as a Sports Reporting Intern in August 2024. He is currently a Broadcast Journalism and Multimedia Journalism student at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He also has experience in broadcast news working for MSUM’s Campus News program.
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