North Dakota voters spoke in favor of and in opposition to five ballot measures on Tuesday night. Here's a recap, and what's next.
Ballot Measure 1: Voters overwhelming approved a measure to change the names of institutions, such as the the “school for the deaf and dumb of North Dakota” to the “school for the deaf and hard of hearing”; a “state hospital for the insane” is changed to a “state hospital for the care of individuals with mental illness”; an “institution for the feebleminded” is changed to a “facility for individuals with developmental disabilities”; and a “state hospital for the mentally ill” is changed to a “state hospital for the care of individuals with mental illness.”
Ballot Measure 2: Voters rebuked this attempt by the legislature to require changes in ballot measures, including increasing the number of signatures required from 4% to 5% and require the approval of voters in two elections: the primary and the general election. 56% rejected this initiative, introduced by State Senator Janne Myrdal. Since it failed, nothing changes.
Ballot Measure 3: This ballot measure had the narrowest margin between supporters and opponents. The proposal decreased the amount of legacy fund principal available for the legislature to spend on the general fund AND legacy fund earnings could be moved into a legacy earnings fund rather than transferred to the general fund. Over half of voters approved the measure, so the percentage of the legacy's fund principal that can be spent is now 5% instead of 15% and the distributions can be moved into an earnings fund.
Ballot Measure 4: The measure to eliminate property taxes in North Dakota was decisively defeated by voters. Nothing changes; local governments retain control of levying taxes on real property based on assessed value.
Ballot Measure 5: The measure to legalize recreational cannabis in North Dakota was defeated. Nothing changes.
