BISMARCK – There is no limit to how many constitutional measures can be placed on a ballot in North Dakota, but the upcoming 2024 ballot looks like it may have a hefty amount due to the many legislative resolutions introduced this session, according to state legislators.
The legislature has been holding off on several resolutions that would place measures on both the June and November 2024 ballots. According to the state legislature’s website, there are approximately 20 legislative resolutions that were introduced, some having failed, that would have placed a constitutional measure on the ballot. This does not include the possibility that citizens may initiate measures through the petition process.
“We’d like to have them all out with the recommendation, and then have a discussion on how many is too many for the ballot,” Assistant Majority Leader Sen. Jerry Klein, R-Dis. 14, Fessenden, told The Dakotan. “We’re even polling our people saying, which ones are you most interested in? There’s so many. Will the citizens be confused?”
Klein said some resolutions are more complicated than others, varying from new term limits, sports betting, allowing the legislature to go to 100 days, allowing the legislature to meet annually, allowing the legislature to spend more of the Legacy Fund, restricting measures to one subject, requiring measures to use common, everyday language, the failed resolution that would have eliminated property tax, and more.
“We can put a bunch of measures on, and the citizens can go put more measures on,” said Klein. “There’s no limit. We’re just trying to get a handle on it. The leader would like everyone to fully understand what we’re doing.”
Klein said he doesn’t know which measure is the most popular.
“Term limits is interestingly popular for one reason, and that’s to challenge the constitutionality of whether or not the citizens can stop us from doing the citizens' work,” said Klein. “The line that says only the citizens can put it back on the ballot, we think that can be challenged. Some only get to serve six more years, others eight. There could be a challenge to that. I’m lukewarm to that. We just voted on it. Maybe in the meantime the courts can work it out. It doesn’t affect me. I’m old and moving on.”
Klein said he personally doesn’t like the idea of having 100 legislative days in a biennium.
“I know that if we have 100 days we could maybe do an annual session, so we could split those 100 days,” said Klein. “Sports betting, that’s going to be a close vote. I know it’s going to a vote of the people, but are we suggesting that the legislature thinks it’s ok?”
A few of these resolutions, including sports betting and term limits, have been on the Senate calendar for several days and have yet to be acted on. The Senate is scheduled to meet at 8 a.m. Monday.
