Section: Politics & Government

North Dakota governor signs bill banning approval, ranked choice voting in elections

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by: MinotVoice  |  

North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong has signed a bill banning ranked-choice and approval voting across the state, ending the use of alternative voting systems in all elections. Supporters say the move will ensure consistency and protect trust in the electoral process. The law directly impacts Fargo, the only city in North Dakota using approval voting—a

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

North Dakota House passes changes to Gaming Commission

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by: MinotVoice  |  

What started as an effort to eliminate North Dakota’s Gaming Commission has instead turned into a plan to revive it. On Wednesday, the House overwhelmingly passed an amended version of Senate Bill 2224, aiming to strengthen—not scrap—the commission. The bill, originally introduced by Sen. Janne Myrdal, now ensures the commission meets quarterly, maintains five active

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota House approves change to state health insurance plan

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by: MinotVoice  |  

The North Dakota House has passed a bill that could reshape health coverage for state employees — but not without controversy. In a 55-37 vote, lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 2160, aiming to move the state’s insurance plan into compliance with the Affordable Care Act. Supporters say it offers savings and flexibility without costing employees more.

Read & Share   sourced from: North Dakota Monitor

Gov. Armstrong signs 2 bills affecting North Dakota political communications, advertising

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by: MinotVoice  |  

In a political age shaped by deepfakes and disinformation, North Dakota lawmakers are drawing a line. Two new laws, signed by Governor Kelly Armstrong, aim to bring clarity—and accountability—to modern campaigning. One requires bold disclaimers on political content generated with AI. The other cracks down on knowingly false political ads, extending penalties to text messages

Read & Share   sourced from: North Dakota Monitor

North Dakota Legislature advances bill to back rural improvement projects, strikes another

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by: Josh Wolsky  |  

A long-term vision for rural North Dakota didn’t survive the legislative gauntlet — but lawmakers didn’t walk away from the issue entirely. Senate Bill 2097, a bold plan to create a $50 million endowment fund, was scrapped after House members balked at its scale and timing. In its place, a more modest option advanced: a

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

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Council Member Paul Pitner Announces Bid for Mayor

by: MinotVoice  |  

Minot’s mayoral race just gained another familiar name. City Councilman Paul Pitner has thrown his hat into the ring, becoming the third sitting alderman to step forward since Tom Ross resigned earlier this month. Pitner, who’s served since 2018, says he’s running to restore integrity to the office and renew civic pride. With Council President

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Manitoba freezes some electricity exports to U.S., plans to turn northward

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by: MinotVoice  |  

Manitoba is pulling some of its power back home — and with it, a vision for growth. Premier Wab Kinew says the province will keep 500 megawatts of hydroelectric power that had been flowing south to Minnesota, using it instead to fuel new housing, industry, and trade within Canada. The move isn’t just about energy

Read & Share   sourced from: The Canadian Press

North Dakota Rep. VanWinkle paid for vacation week, draws criticism from House leadership

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by: MinotVoice  |  

Minot Rep. Lori VanWinkle is facing scrutiny after missing a week of the North Dakota legislative session for a family vacation — and still receiving taxpayer-funded pay for the days she was gone. State law entitles legislators to daily pay during session, unless they request otherwise. House leadership called the absence inappropriate and asked VanWinkle

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota Senate passes bill to standardize election laws, remove power from localities

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by: MinotVoice  |  

North Dakota is moving to put all elections under one rulebook — the state’s. A new bill advancing through the Legislature would prevent cities and counties, even those with home rule authority, from setting election laws that conflict with state standards. Supporters say it’s about protecting consistency and trust in elections. Critics argue it sidelines

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota Senate rejects bill for annual legislative sessions

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by: MinotVoice  |  

North Dakota’s Legislature will stick with its every-other-year schedule — at least for now. The Senate voted down a bill Monday that would have required lawmakers to meet annually, reviving a debate that’s surfaced nearly every session since 1979. Supporters argued the faster pace of national politics and new term limits call for more frequent

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

Port: This is what a lack of integrity looks like

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by: MinotVoice  |  

Columnist Rob Port isn’t pulling any punches. In his latest piece, he calls out Minot Rep. Lori VanWinkle’s week-long vacation from the Legislature — not just as bad judgment, but as part of a broader habit on the populist right: playing the victim when called to account. Port argues this isn’t about political bias or

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

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North Dakota House removes new Ethics Commission position from budget, adds 6-month deadline

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by: MinotVoice  |  

North Dakota lawmakers are looking to speed up ethics investigations — and tighten the reins on the commission handling them. The House passed a bill Monday setting a 180-day deadline to resolve complaints and scrapping a new staff position focused on ethics education. Supporters say the move addresses a growing backlog and protects public officials

Read & Share   sourced from: North Dakota Monitor

Library content bill narrowly passes North Dakota House

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By: Michael Achterling, North Dakota Monitor |

A bill requiring school and public libraries to relocate content deemed “sexually explicit” passed the House on a 49-45 vote Monday after nearly 90 minutes of debate. Senate Bill 2307, sponsored by Sen. Keith Boehm, R-Mandan, would allow people who challenge library content to seek a state’s attorney’s opinion if they don’t agree with a

Read & Share   sourced from: North Dakota Monitor

Meet Minot mayor candidate Rob Fuller

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by: MinotVoice  |  

Rob Fuller, a Minot native, city council member, and former banker, has announced his candidacy for Mayor of Minot. Fuller’s campaign is focused on transparency, accountability, and supporting local businesses. His platform includes streamlining city operations, reducing wasteful spending, and prioritizing long-term infrastructure improvements. Fuller, who returned to Minot in 2012, lives in the city

Read & Share   sourced from: KX News

HOLY COW! HISTORY: Politics Were Toxic Back In The Day. Deadlier, Too.

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By: J. Mark Powell, Inside Sources |

The one (and perhaps only) thing Americans seem to agree on these days is political rhetoric is too toxic. They long for folks to cool down and behave like dignified statesmen from that long-ago time before Twitter inflamed passions. Ah, the good old days! Except they weren’t so good. In fact, angry words sometimes even

Read & Share   sourced from: Inside Sources

North Dakota’s Legislative Council slammed by calls on controversial issues

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by: MinotVoice  |  

If you’ve tried calling North Dakota’s Legislature lately, you might have unknowingly rung the wrong bell. The nonpartisan Legislative Council — a behind-the-scenes office of researchers and bill drafters — has been swamped with phone calls about hot-button issues like term limits and school funding. But here’s the twist: many callers don’t even know who

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune