AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 16.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the secretary of state's duty to distribute educational and informational materials before an election; to provide an appropriation; and to provide an expiration date.
SB 2230 requires the North Dakota secretary of state to prepare and distribute objective, factual educational materials about statewide ballot measures before elections. For each statewide constitutional measure approved by the legislative assembly, initiated measure, or referendum appearing on a special, primary, or general election ballot, the secretary of state must send the materials to every active voter in the central voter file at least 45 days before the election and also post them at all voting locations.
The required materials must include an objective summary of the measure, its anticipated fiscal impact, whether it came from the legislature or from an initiative/referred petition, and an objective analysis of arguments for and against the measure. The bill also appropriates $600,000 in one-time general fund money for the 2025-2027 biennium to support creation and distribution of the materials, with a stated focus on accuracy, fairness, and readability. The act expires on June 30, 2027.
The bill adds a new section to chapter 16.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code and expands the secretary of state’s election-related duties to include statewide ballot measure voter education. It creates a temporary, one-time funded program for producing and distributing ballot measure information and requires posting at polling places, affecting election administration, voter outreach, and the handling of constitutional measures, initiated measures, and referenda. The law is effective only through June 30, 2027, after which it becomes ineffective unless renewed or replaced.
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support based on the recorded votes, passing the Senate 47-0 on second reading and later 46-1, and the House 87-5. The vote totals suggest general agreement with the goal of providing voters with neutral, accessible information about ballot measures. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded debate to indicate significant opposition in the available materials.
The main potential point of contention is the use of $600,000 in general fund money for a temporary voter-information program, especially given that the materials must be created, distributed to all active voters, and posted at all voting locations. Another possible issue is the challenge of ensuring the materials remain truly objective and balanced, since the bill requires summaries, fiscal impact information, and pro/con analysis for measures that may be politically controversial. The available vote record shows only limited opposition, suggesting any concerns were not strong enough to prevent passage.