Free School Meals Backers Deliver Signatures Paving Way For Fall Vote in North Dakota

(Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakotans could vote this November on whether public schools should provide free meals after an advocacy organization on Thursday submitted thousands of signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office.

The proposed measure would change the state constitution to guarantee that all K-12 public schools provide one free breakfast and lunch to all students. Tribal schools and private schools would be able to opt into the program.

The group behind the petition, called the Together For School Meals coalition, said in an afternoon press conference it turned in more than 57,000 signatures. That’s roughly 80% more than the 31,164 valid signatures required for the proposal to appear on the 2026 general election ballot.

“This is about families, this is about community and this is about the generations that come after us,” said Cheryl Kary, executive director of the Sacred Pipe Resource Center and a coalition member.