What is HB 1297?

House Bill 1297 bans the use of both approval voting and ranked choice voting at all levels in North Dakota elections.

Politicians from across the state are are trying to tell Fargo voters that their historic vote to adopt approval voting shouldn't count.

That means that better elections that lead to better representation will be outawed at the state level.

This is an attack on the will of the people and, arguably, the validity and right of Fargo voters to engage in the initiative process.

To be clear, we support the right of the State Legislature to improve the lives of North Dakotans but most definitely question how exactly this bill will do that.

Who's behind it?

This bill was sponsored by House Representatives Koppelman, Heilman, Heinert, Kasper, and Louser, as well as Senators Castaneda, Clemens, Enget, Paulson, Wobbema, and Larson.

If you're wondering how many of these politicians were actually elected to represent Fargo at all... there's only one: Jim Kasper.

What can I do?

You can read the bill, contact YOUR legislators, submit testimony to the committee hearing directly, and contact members of the House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee and tell them how you feel.

Watch the January 30th testimony Contact YOUR LegislatorEmail the entire House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee
Austen Schauer, Chair
Bernie Satrom, Vice Chair
Landon Bahl
Collette Brown
Josh Christy
Karen Grindberg
Karen Karls
Carrie McLeod
Karen M. Rohr
Mary Schneider
Vicky Steiner
Lori VanWinkle
Steve Vetter
Christina Wolff