Lawmakers pass ban on approval, ranked-choice voting in North Dakota

Legislature votes to ban approval and ranked-choice voting in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. — A bill that will end approval voting in Fargo passed the Senate floor on Tuesday. A last-minute amendment grandfathering Fargo’s approval voting system failed to get a floor vote. HB 1297 ends both approval and ranked-choice voting in all elections in the state. Fargo first began approval voting for city commissioners after a ballot measure was approved by voters in the 2018 election. Those in favor of the bill alleged that the …

North Dakota Senate votes to prohibit ranked-choice, approval voting

(BISMARCK, ND) – A bill seeking to prohibit both approval and ranked-choice voting in North Dakota is heading to Governor Kelly Armstrong. House Bill 1297, if enacted, would ban the use of approval or ranked-choice voting in an election within the state. Fargo is the only city in North Dakota, and one of the only cities in the entire country that uses the system.  Fargo City Commissioner Denise Kolpack previously testified in opposition of the b…

Lawmakers pass ban on approval, ranked-choice voting in North Dakota

Fargo was the first city in the nation to use approval voting. Gov. Kelly Armstrong will decide whether a ban on alternative voting methods should become law.