Breaking News: Former Governor Ed Schafer Helps Re-Boot ProtectND Campaign Against Measure #2

Effort will once again oppose November's Measure #2 efforts to make initiated measures harder for citizens to set the terms and conditions by which their elected officials and government operates.

This morning, on KFGO’s News and Views with Joel Heitkamp, former governor Ed Schafer and myself appeared to discuss the need to defeat Measure #2 on the November ballot.

You can listen to that audio here:

What Does November 2024’s Measure #2 Do?

The official language of Measure #2 can be found here: https://www.sos.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/services/leg-bills/2023-68/senate-res/4013.pdf

Major Provisions

1. Open-ended “Single-subject” clause “determined by the Secretary of State”.

2. Places in the constitution the current statutory requirement that collectors be qualified electors.

3. Increases constitutional measure signature requirement from 4% to 5%.

4. Simple-majority vote in both Primary and General election.

Minor Provisions

1. Adds the word “qualified” before “electors” in sections.

2. Changes “shall(s)” to “must”.

3. Changes “post office” to “residential”.

Primary Objections:

1. Allowing the Secretary of State unilateral discretion on the definition of “single-subject” with no legislative intent or statutory guidance is dangerous.  

   1. Considering the Legislature was found to be unable to follow their own single subject rule for decades on the OMB budget and just got called out for it in 2023, it is unreasonable for citizens to be held to a higher standard than the legislature.

2. Requiring two separate votes challenges the idea of one-person one-vote.

   1. This will cause measure campaigns to be more expensive not less and they will have to run two-campaigns for longer.

November 2024’s Measure #2 Continues The Legislatures’ Long Tradition Of Attempting To Make It Harder For Citizens To Petition Their Government

The legislature’s attempts to curtail and restrict the citizen’s right to petition has become like a broken record. No matter how many times the voters say NO to restrictions, the legislature keeps coming back over and over to make it more difficult.

A detailed history of this can be read by clicking here.

Archive of North Dakota Watchdog Networks' Efforts To Protect The Powers Reserved To The People

Coalition Rebooting To Defeat Another Measure #2

In 2020, the ProtectND coalition successfully helped defeat the last attempt to make the process more difficult.

The Annual Attack On The "Powers Reserved To The People" Has Begun

Dustin Gawrylow, left, speaks at a press conference announcing the formation of an opposition group to Measure 2 at the state Capitol in Bismarck on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Group members Ellie Shockley, middle, and Ryan Warner also spoke against the measure. Jeremy Turley / Forum News Service

North Dakota voters soundly rejected a ballot measure that would have given the state Legislature a say in the process of amending the state constitution.

In complete but unofficial results, 62% of voters rejected Measure 2, while 38% voted to adopt it. All election results in North Dakota must be certified by the state Canvassing Board before becoming official, but with such a wide margin dismissing Measure 2, both promoters and opponents say the result is decided.

We’ll have to do it one more time, with your help.

Stay tuned for how you can help Ed Schafer and those who believe THE PEOPLE should set the terms an conditions by which their government and elected officials operate!