An update to a hyper local story in my hometown is useful for participants in the American form of government across the nation. Despite all the cynicism about politics, the insistence that the politicians are indifferent to the moods of voters, it turns out elections really do matter. First, some back story. Earlier this year…
North Dakota Needs Fewer Elected Offices
In Burleigh County (Bismarck), commissioners are considering eliminating elections for two county offices. Currently the auditor/treasurer and recorder positions are elected. The county may turn them into appointed positions. It’s a good idea. In fact, it’s one which should be emulated state wide. North Dakota simply has too many elected officials. We have 13 elected…
Legislation Could End North Dakota’s Open June Primary, Which Is Good in Principle but Could Be Bad for Republicans in Practice
Do most voters understand how candidates end up on the ballot in November? I’m not sure they do, and perhaps they can’t be blamed. Here in North Dakota, the process is a little convoluted. The political parties – Republicans, Democrats, sometimes even the Libertarians – hold a series of conventions to endorse candidates. First there…
Should Convicted Criminals Be Able to Serve on North Dakota’s School Boards?
Last week Bismarck Tribune reporter Amy Dalrymple ran a story about a Twin Buttes woman named Melissa Starr who was elected to the local school board despite a conviction for embezzlement she’s still paying restitution on. Embezzlement from the school district she was just elected to govern. “Starr was one of seven Twin Buttes School…
We Have No Idea if Voter Fraud Changed the Outcome of Some North Dakota Elections
When the voter ID issue is brought up by Republicans the response from Democrats is usually a lot of dismissive sneering. Voter fraud isn’t really a problem, they tell us, pointing to the lack of criminal cases involving voter fraud. But is it that there’s no fraud? Or that we aren’t really doing anything to…
North Dakota Needs Fewer Elected Offices
In Cass County last night a proposal to elect fewer county officials was heard by the County Commission with no opposition from the public. Though at least one commissioner was skeptical per this report from Helmut Schmidt. “I struggle with this, because you know the citizens are smart enough to elect me, but they’re not…
Number of North Dakota Voters Casting Ballots With Affidavits Instead of ID up 55 Percent
During the 2015 legislative session state lawmakers passed stricter voter ID laws, among them the removal of the option to sign an affidavit declaring yourself an eligible voter. But after a legal challenge a federal judge overturned that change, and the state brought the affidavit option back ahead of the 2016 elections. The result? There…
John Olsrud: Voting Has Nothing To Do With Driving
Much attention has been given to the “easy as pie” voting system in North Dakota after voting requirements were tightened by the 2013 Legislative Assembly. Subsequent reports have indicated the new requirements have disenfranchised hundreds of students who wished to vote in their current precincts. Instead of changing the law back to the way it…
Richard Winger: Accessing Ballot Is Too Hard For North Dakota's Minor Party Candidates
Every state has had minor party candidates for the legislature on the ballot in recent elections, except for North Dakota. No minor party candidate for the N.D. legislature has been able to qualify for the November ballot since 1976, when the American Party managed to comply in a few districts. North Dakota bars minor party…
Rod St. Aubyn: Is North Dakota Electing Too Many Offices?
What do the offices of State Auditor, State Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, Public Service Commissioners, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner and Tax Commissioner have in common? In North Dakota all of these offices have elected heads of the respective agencies. That is not the case in many other states. Many…