North Dakota Voters Reject Higher Bar for Constitutional Amendments, Keeping Simple Majority by 56% to 44%
North Dakota voters on November 3 rejected Measure 1, a proposal that would have required future constitutional amendments to win 60 percent of the vote. According to complete but unofficial results released November 4, 'no' votes led by about 56 percent to 44 percent, preserving the current simple-majority rule.
Measure 1 was placed on the ballot by the state Legislature. Supporters argued the state constitution is too easy to change and a higher threshold would make amendments more deliberate; opponents said a simple majority is sufficient and that the Legislature should not raise the bar for voter-led amendments. Bismarck voter Ronda Wamsley said she voted no because a simple majority is good enough and it is not the Legislature's place to raise the bar.
The results are unofficial pending formal certification. The defeat of Measure 1 means any future constitutional initiative still needs only a majority of voters to take effect, and the Legislature would have to propose a new measure to try raising the threshold again.
(Source: North Dakota Monitor)
Source: North Dakota Monitor
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Bismarck 的北达科他州议会大楼。经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck. Via Wikimedia Commons.
