A Minot lawmaker wants candidates in local races to have to show party affiliations.
Right now, those party ties are not on ballots for city government, school boards or other local elected offices. Rep. Scott Louser (R-Minot) said he tried to get the proposal as an amendment to a bill in the 2017 Legislature, but it was rejected. Louser is planning to introduce it as a stand-alone bill in the 2019 Legislature.
"When we have people who are getting elected at the local level, and candidates don't have to declare their party, there isn't an opportunity in many case for voters to find out who they're electing," Louser said.
Louser also said there may be nay-sayers who think such a bill would discourage some people from running.
"I think it will have the opposite effect," Louser said. "If you are going to have competitive local races, the voters will know who they're voting for, for those government positions that are closest to the people."
