Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota
In Regular Session Commencing Tuesday, January 7, 2025
HOUSE BILL NO. 1297
(Representatives Koppelman, Heilman, Heinert, Kasper, Louser)
(Senators Castaneda, Clemens, Enget, Paulson, Wobbema, Larson)
AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 16.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code,
relating to prohibiting approval voting and ranked-choice voting in elections; and to amend and
reenact subsection 7 of section 11-09.1-05 and subsection 9 of section 40-05.1-06 of the North
Dakota Century Code, relating to home rule powers in counties and cities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Subsection 7 of section 11-09.1-05 of the North Dakota Century Code
is amended and reenacted as follows:
7.Provide for all matters pertaining to county elections, except as to qualifications of electors
and the limitations provided under section 2 of this Act .
SECTION 2. A new section to chapter 16.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code is created and
enacted as follows:
Approval voting - Ranked-choice voting - Prohibition.
1.For purposes of this section:
a."Approval voting" means a method in which a qualified elector may vote for all candidates
the voter approves of in each race for public office, and the candidates receiving the most
votes are elected until all necessary seats are filled in each race.
b."Ranked-choice voting" means a method in which a qualified elector may rank
candidates in a race for public office in order of preference, and all submitted ballots are
tabulated in multiple rounds following the elimination of a candidate until a single
candidate attains a majority of votes.
2.Approval voting or ranked-choice voting may not be used in an election held within this state
to elect or nominate a candidate to any local, state, or federal elective office.
3.An ordinance enacted or adopted by a county, city, or other political subdivision, including an
ordinance enacted or adopted under a home rule charter, which conflicts with this section is
void.
SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. Subsection 9 of section 40-05.1-06 of the North Dakota Century Code
is amended and reenacted as follows:
9.To provide for all matters pertaining to city elections, except as to qualifications of electors and
the limitations provided under section 2 of this Act. H. B. NO. 1297 - PAGE 2
____________________________ ____________________________
Speaker of the House President of the Senate
____________________________ ____________________________
Chief Clerk of the House Secretary of the Senate
This certifies that the within bill originated in the House of Representatives of the Sixty-ninth Legislative
Assembly of North Dakota and is known on the records of that body as House Bill No. 1297.
House Vote: Yeas 75 Nays 16 Absent 3
Senate Vote:Yeas 38 Nays 8 Absent 1
____________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Received by the Governor at ________M. on _____________________________________, 2025.
Approved at ________M. on __________________________________________________, 2025.
____________________________
Governor
Filed in this office this ___________day of _______________________________________, 2025,
at ________ o’clock ________M.
____________________________
Secretary of State