Politics & Government

One of the leaders of the drive for Measure One – the ethics measure, which voters passed – said she’s meeting with representatives of the measure’s opponents, hoping to “smooth things over” after a spirited campaign.

Voters passed the measure in Tuesday’s election.  A number of business groups, lobbying organizations and  the ACLU opposed the measure.

Supporters are working with legislators and the Legislative Council for enabling legislation to be introduced in the 2019 Legislative session.

Sen. Ray Holmberg (R-Grand Forks) has been elected to another term.

And he's reaching a milestone.

"This was my 12th election," Holmberg said. "I have already completed 42 years. Next election, I would tie with two other for the longest serving Senator in state history."

Those other lawmakers are David Nething (R-Jamestown) and Duane Mutch (R-Larimore).

To what does he attribute winning re-election so many times?

North Dakota Congressman Kevin Cramer(R) becomes a US Senator in January.

Cramer said he’s now working on the transition and looking for staff for his Senate office. But he still has some "House-work" to do, in the upcoming "lame duck" session.

"We have several weeks of session ahead of us," Cramer told Bismarck reporters. "We have some work to do."

The issue of “expungement” – that is, erasing the arrest and or conviction of someone who committed a crime – has become an issue in the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana.

The measure would require the expungement of all marijuana-related convictions.

At the same time, a Fargo legislator is working on an expungement bill.

Former district judge Bob Wefald – one of the spokespeople against the measure to legalize recreational marijuana – says he would support legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot.

State Rep. Shannon Roers-Jones (R-Fargo) recently said she would introduce such a bill, if measure 3 is defeated.

"It would be small amounts of marijuana," Wefald said at a Bismarck news conference. "Not truckloads."

Wefald said he's especially concerned about young people who have experimented with marijuana.