An act to create and enact a new section to chapter 16.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to prohibiting approval voting and ranked-choice voting in elections; and to amend and reenact subsection 7 of sectio, the official text

Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota In Regular Session Commencing Tuesday, January 7, 2025
HOUSE BILL NO. 1297 (Representatives Koppelman, Heilman, Heinert, Kasper, Louser) (Senators Castaneda, Clemens, Enget, Paulson, Wobbema, Larson)
AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 16.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to prohibiting approval voting and ranked-choice voting in elections; and to amend and reenact subsection 7 of section 11-09.1-05 and subsection 9 of section 40-05.1-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to home rule powers in counties and cities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA: SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Subsection 7 of section 11-09.1-05 of the North Dakota Century Code
is amended and reenacted as follows: 7. Provide for all matters pertaining to county elections, except as to qualifications of electors and the limitations provided under section 2 of this Act. SECTION 2. A new section to chapter 16.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code is created and
enacted as follows: Approval voting - Ranked-choice voting - Prohibition. 1. For purposes of this section: a. "Approval voting" means a method in which a qualified elector may vote for all candidates the voter approves of in each race for public office, and the candidates receiving the most votes are elected until all necessary seats are filled in each race. b. "Ranked-choice voting" means a method in which a qualified elector may rank candidates in a race for public office in order of preference, and all submitted ballots are tabulated in multiple rounds following the elimination of a candidate until a single candidate attains a majority of votes. 2. Approval voting or ranked-choice voting may not be used in an election held within this state to elect or nominate a candidate to any local, state, or federal elective office. 3. An ordinance enacted or adopted by a county, city, or other political subdivision, including an ordinance enacted or adopted under a home rule charter, which conflicts with this section is void. SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. Subsection 9 of section 40-05.1-06 of the North Dakota Century Code
is amended and reenacted as follows: 9. To provide for all matters pertaining to city elections, except as to qualifications of electors and the limitations provided under section 2 of this Act.

H. B. NO. 1297 - PAGE 2

____________________________ Speaker of the House

____________________________ President of the Senate

____________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

____________________________ Secretary of the Senate

This certifies that the within bill originated in the House of Representatives of the Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota and is known on the records of that body as House Bill No. 1297.

House Vote: Senate Vote:

Yeas 75 Yeas 38

Nays 16 Nays 8

Absent 3 Absent 1

____________________________ Chief Clerk of the House
Received by the Governor at ________M. on _____________________________________, 2025. Approved at ________M. on __________________________________________________, 2025.

____________________________ Governor
Filed in this office this ___________day of _______________________________________, 2025, at ________ o’clock ________M.

____________________________ Secretary of State