North Dakota House Bill HB1287

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/25
• Refer: 1/13/25
• Report DNP: 2/14/25

Caption

A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 16.1-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to registration of voters.

Summary

HB 1287 would create a new section of North Dakota law governing voter registration. The bill sets out when and how a qualified elector may register, including by mail, at the county auditor’s office, through certain Department of Transportation transactions, and on election day at the polling place. It also requires the secretary of state to prescribe registration forms and adopt rules for transfers and deletions in the central voter file. The bill would make voter registration available up to the day before a statewide special, primary, or general election for in-person registration, while limiting mail registration and certain other registration methods during the 30 days before an election. It also states that party affiliation may not be shown on the registration form and that registration is generally permanent subject to secretary of state rules. In effect, the bill would expand and standardize voter registration procedures while centralizing administrative authority in the secretary of state and county auditors.

Impact

If enacted, HB 1287 would add a new voter-registration framework to chapter 16.1-02 of the North Dakota Century Code and would affect election administration statewide. It would require the secretary of state and the Department of Transportation to develop and use standardized registration forms, direct county auditors and election officers to register properly completed applicants in the central voter file, and establish rules for moving or removing electors from that file. The bill would also change how and when eligible voters can register, including same-day registration at polling places and registration through driver’s license and public-assistance interactions.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have faced substantial opposition in the House. It failed on second reading by a wide margin, 15 yeas to 75 nays, indicating that most legislators were not supportive of the proposal. No committee transcript was provided, so the available record shows the outcome more clearly than the debate, but the vote suggests the measure was not broadly accepted.

Contention

The main points of contention likely centered on expanding voter registration access versus concerns about election administration and timing. Supporters of the bill would be expected to favor easier registration methods, including election-day registration and registration through government service transactions, while opponents likely objected to the broader access provisions, the permanent-registration approach, or the administrative changes required of election officials. The decisive floor vote suggests that concerns outweighed support among House members.