Via North Dakota Secretary of State on Facebook
North Dakota has held a standard of requiring a simple majority to amend the state’s constitution for over a century, and voters upheld that on Tuesday.
The state’s complete but unofficial results show 56% voted ‘no’, compared to 44% voting ‘yes’. This amendment, referred by the legislature, would have made it necessary for constitutional changes brought by citizens or lawmakers to secure at least 60% voter approval, as compared to the simple 50% plus one majority.
According to reporting by Jack Dura from the North Dakota Monitor, the campaign in support of the measure poured millions of dollars into advertising. Governor Kelly Armstrong appeared to be the face of the movement. Armstrong, alongside legislative leaders, argued in favor of the higher bar, saying it was essential safeguarding of the state constitution against well-funded out-of-state interest groups and mandates.
On the other hand, voting rights advocates and grassroots opponents countered that idea successfully, saying that the higher threshold would damage direct democracy by giving a 40% minority veto power over the majority of North Dakota voters.
This mirrors a similar defeat in South Dakota, in which voters also rejected a 60% amendment threshold.
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