A proposed amendment to North Dakota’s constitution, Measure 1, was the focus of a lively debate at a recent policy summit in Bismarck. The measure, which originated in the Legislature, would mandate a 60% vote threshold for passing any future constitutional ballot measures. This heightened requirement would apply exclusively to changes to the state constitution, not to statutory ballot measures that alter state law.
Speaker of the House Rep. Robin Weisz, a Republican from Hurdsfield and the chief sponsor of the resolution that became Measure 1, spoke in favor of the proposal at the Greater North Dakota Chamber event. Weisz emphasized that the measure is "all about the constitution," noting that the state’s current 50% vote threshold has led to the North Dakota Constitution being amended 168 times since 1889. He suggested that if the U.S. Constitution could be changed by a simple majority, many critical national rights might have been jeopardized over time. Weisz also stated that opposition to Measure 1 is coming from an out-of-state interest group, which he cited as further justification for the 60% threshold to protect the interests of North Dakotans.
Kathy Tweeten, president of the League of Women Voters of North Dakota, voiced her organization’s opposition to the measure. She argued that the proposed higher voter threshold would create a "significant barrier" to North Dakotans’ participation in the political process. Tweeten highlighted that the citizen-initiated ballot measure process has been an integral part of the state for over a century, providing voters a direct voice in key public policy decisions. Citing data from the 2024 election, she estimated that reaching a 60% threshold would have required an additional 37,000 votes beyond a simple majority. Tweeten expressed concern that Measure 1 could effectively give power to a "super minority," and underscored the importance of ensuring every voter has an equal opportunity to be heard in the state’s elections.
State lawmakers previously debated the issue during the 2025 legislative session. The resolution ultimately passed both chambers, with the House approving it 65-28 and the Senate with a 33-13 vote. During legislative discussions, Representative Steve Vetter, a Republican from Grand Forks, argued that a constitution's purpose is to protect the rights of the minority against "mob rule" by the majority. He clarified that the bill would only slightly raise the threshold for constitutional amendments and would not alter the initiated measure process for changing Century Code.
Conversely, House Minority Leader Zac Ista, a Democrat from Grand Forks, contended that the measure sends a message to voters that lawmakers intend to make it harder for them to exercise their constitutionally protected power to change the state’s founding document. Ista described the ability of citizens to change the state’s constitution with a majority vote as an important check on elected officials, allowing voters to make changes that legislators may have failed or refused to make.
Outside groups have also engaged in the debate. The Fairness Project, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates for ballot access, has reportedly begun running advertisements in North Dakota opposing Measure 1. In support of the measure, Strong ND, an independent expenditure organization aligned with North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, is running ads urging voters to not "California our North Dakota." Governor Armstrong has publicly supported the Strong ND advertisements. Voters in neighboring South Dakota will also consider a similar 60% vote threshold for future state constitutional amendments this November, following failed attempts to pass such measures in 2018 and 2022.
