North Dakota
North Dakotans will vote on 5 measures. That's not unheard of.
BISMARCK — North Dakotans may feel like there are a lot of ballot measures to vote on in the general election, but recent history shows that the amount is not out of the ordinary.
The deadline to put measures on the general election ballot was July 8, meaning the ballot is finalized. Voters will decide whether to pass or fail five measures on Nov. 5.
Three are constitutional — put on the ballot by the North Dakota Legislature — while the other two were initiated by citizens. They need 50% plus one vote to pass.
Absentee ballots are available beginning Sept. 26.
The last time North Dakota had this many ballot measures in an election was for the 2016 general election, Secretary of State Michael Howe said. During that election, legislators put two on the ballot, while three came from citizens, he noted.
The most North Dakota has had since the turn of the millennium was 2014 with eight measures, with four each from the Legislature and citizens, Howe said. According to a list showing measures for elections dating back to 1889, the year North Dakota became a state, the most measures residents voted on was in the 1938 primary election with 13 questions.
The most in a general election was 10 in 1918.
It’s unclear why there are so many measures this election, compared to two each in the 2020 and 2022 general elections, Howe said.
“If you’re trying to find a pattern there, there really isn’t one,” he said. “Why are there more questions this time around then, say, the 2022 general election, where there were only two, I don’t know. I don’t have an answer for that.”
Compared to other states, North Dakota has a light ballot for the general election. Colorado voters will have to decide on 14 questions, the most of any state for November. Arizona has 13 measures, California has 10 and New Mexico has eight.
Minnesota has one.
If there is an anomaly in the data, it was 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, when there were only two measures, Howe said. Both questions were from the Legislature.
North Dakotans had two measures in 2022 as well, one each from lawmakers and citizens.
It’s also hard to find a pattern that could conclusively show how the election will turn out with multiple ballots. In 2012, voters approved all but one of the five measures on the ballot. They reversed course in 2014, when they rejected all but one of the eight. In 2016, all but one of the five measures passed.
In 2008, two of the four measures passed.
North Dakotans do their homework and research when it comes to voting on measures, Howe said. They take the time to educate themselves so they know how to vote, he said.
“The citizens of North Dakota take these things seriously,” Howe said.
The Secretary of State’s Office website has the full text of each measure, official ballot language, an analysis of how the question will change North Dakota law and fiscal impacts at
sos.nd.gov/elections/voter/ballot-measures/measures-ballot
.
Measure 1:
A Constitutional question that would change outdated terminology that describes public institutions in North Dakota. That would include changing the “school for the deaf and dumb of North Dakota” to the “school for the deaf and hard of hearing,” the “state hospital for the insane” to a “state hospital for the care of individuals with mental illness,” the “institution for the feebleminded” to a “facility for individuals with developmental disabilities,” and the “state hospital for the mentally ill” to a “state hospital for the care of individuals with mental illness.”
Measure 2:
A Constitutional measure that would require initiated measures to be limited to one subject, measure sponsors and petition circulators to be qualified electors and petition signers to provide a complete residential address. The number of signatures needed to get a measure on the ballot would increase to 5% of the state population.
Measure 3:
A Constitutional measure that would decrease the amount of principal that the state could spend from the Legacy fund.
Measure 4:
An initiated measure that would eliminate property taxes.
Measure 5:
An initiated measure that would legalize marijuana use, production and sales by anyone at least 21 years old.
Submitted Photo
U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, spoke about the connection between North Dakota, the United States and Norway at the 12th annual Norwegian-American Defense Conference held April 17, where he delivered the congressional keynote address.
WASHINGTON – North Dakota’s deep Norwegian roots reflect the broad, long-standing relationship between the United States and Norway, one built on shared values, cultural ties and security cooperation.
U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, spoke about the connection between the two countries at the 12th annual Norwegian-American Defense Conference held April 17, where he delivered the congressional keynote address.
He described the bond as historic and strategic, but also personal. His great-great-great grandfather, Erik Hjelden, fought in the Norwegian War of Independence prior to Norway adopting a constitution on May 17, 1814, Norway’s Independence Day known as Syttende Mai.
Starting in the 1870s, Scandinavian immigrants from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland settled across what is now North Dakota. Today, one-third of the state’s population is of Norwegian descent, and North Dakota has the highest percentage of citizens with Norwegian ancestry of any state in the nation.
“I love the theme of this year’s conference, ‘From Seabed to Space,’ because I do think the size of the country is not nearly as important as the dynamic that happens when one plus one equals more than two,” Cramer said. “At a time when there’s talent on the factory floor, and talent in the executive suites, and talent in the engineering room, that we may have one or the other, maybe all. But together the dynamic of it is so much greater.”
Cramer emphasized how this foundation now supports a modern defense partnership. He said the United States and Norway are working together on Arctic security, aiming to strengthen interoperability and improve readiness across multi-domain operations. This alliance plays a key role in addressing today’s international security challenges.
Cramer also recognized the U.S.-Norway partnership through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as the history between the two countries.
“When you look at a globe, it illustrates why the Arctic is so important,” continued Cramer. “None of us can protect our silo without protecting our country, without protecting our continent, without protecting our hemisphere, without protecting ourselves. We protect one another by protecting ourselves, and we protect ourselves by protecting one another.”
Throughout his years in Congress, Cramer has been active in the House and Senate Friends of Norway caucuses. He hosted former Norwegian Ambassador to the U.S. Anniken Krutnes when she visited North Dakota in 2024, highlighting the state’s Norwegian heritage, economic strength and its role in advancing U.S.-Norway defense and national security cooperation. During the visit, Krutnes and Cramer emphasized the importance of strong alliances and the longstanding partnership between the two nations during various community stops, including events at the Sons of Norway Kringen Lodge and First Lutheran Church. The visit also focused on defense priorities, with a briefing at the North Dakota National Guard’s 119th Wing regarding the mission of the “Happy Hooligans,” before concluding with a public reception ahead of the Fargo premiere of the Norwegian film Songs of Earth.
Memorial service at North Dakota State Capitol honors fallen officers
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Roads in northwest North Dakota are reporting extremely low visibility due to blowing dust and dirt.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol shared photos of an intense dust storm that led to a crash in Williams County on Highway 85 at 1:30 p.m.
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Photo courtesy of the North Dakota Highway Patrol -
Photo courtesy of the North Dakota Highway Patrol
The NDHP is advising the public to stay home if possible, and if you must travel, slow down, turn on your headlights, increase following distance, and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
KELOLAND News also received photos from our viewers of dust storms in South Dakota.
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