AN ACT to amend and reenact section 16.1-06-07.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the printing of presidential candidate names on a general election ballot.
Summary
HB 1099 amends North Dakota Century Code section 16.1-06-07.1 governing how presidential candidates and electors are displayed on the general election ballot. The bill requires the ballot to list the office of president and vice president first in presidential election years, with the names of presidential electors grouped under that office. It also specifies that the surname of the presidential candidate must be printed in bold type to the left of the electors’ names, with a single oval aligned with the candidate’s name; a voter’s mark in that oval counts as a vote for all electors in that group.
The measure is primarily a ballot-format and election-administration bill rather than a substantive change to voting eligibility or election outcomes. It clarifies the visual presentation of presidential tickets on the ballot and preserves the existing rule that selecting the candidate’s oval constitutes a vote for the full slate of electors. The amendment appears intended to standardize ballot design and improve clarity for voters and election officials.
Impact
HB 1099 updates the state’s election code provisions on ballot layout for presidential elections, specifically section 16.1-06-07.1. It affects how county and state election officials prepare general election ballots by requiring a particular arrangement, typography, and voting mechanism for presidential candidate listings and their associated electors. The bill does not change who may vote or how electors are chosen, but it does alter the statutory instructions governing ballot printing and ballot interpretation.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been noncontroversial and broadly supported. It passed the House 89-0 and the Senate 46-0, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. No committee transcripts or recorded debate were provided, and the voting history suggests the measure was viewed as a routine technical election-law update rather than a politically divisive proposal.
Contention
There is no documented substantive contention in the available record. Because the bill concerns ballot formatting for presidential elections, any potential concerns would likely have centered on administrative clarity, ballot readability, or compliance with election procedures, but no opposing arguments or amendments are reflected in the provided materials. The unanimous votes indicate that any issues were either resolved in advance or not significant enough to generate recorded opposition.