North Dakota House Rejects Bills That Aimed to Change how Candidates get on the Ballot

Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(Michael Achterling – North Dakota Monitor) -Two bills that would have reshaped how candidates get on the North Dakota ballot failed in the House.

House Bill 1446, sponsored by Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, would have eliminated the option of getting on the ballot through a political endorsement. Instead, candidates for statewide and legislative offices would be required to gather signatures to get on the primary or general election ballot.

Currently, candidates can get on the ballot through either a political endorsement or by gathering signatures. However, several incumbent lawmakers skipped district endorsing conventions last year, citing concerns about the process. And two candidates endorsed at the Republican Party state convention went on to lose in the primary.

“The system, we all know, is not working,” Nathe said.

Under the proposal, legislative candidates would be required to obtain signatures for 1% of the district’s total population, about 167, while statewide office holders would need to acquire 2,000 signatures.