Measure 3 Off the Ballot … Let’s Hope Sponsors Can Get Refund From Their Attorney
MINOT, N.D. — After hearing oral arguments last week, today, the North Dakota Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision enjoining Secretary of State Al Jaeger from placing Measure 3 on the November ballot.
In a more just world, the court would have also barred the hucksters behind Measure 3 from participating in the initiated measure process in the future given the fundamentally dishonest way these folks went about their business. Remember, they’re the ones who tried to hide sweeping changes to the way North Dakotans vote and are governed behind the “Help Heroes Vote Act” title, which, in truth, described only a minor section of their proposal.
Alas, such an outcome is not in the court’s power, even though the ruse took in hundreds and hundreds of North Dakotans.
Perhaps in future reforms, the Legislature could consider barring people who break the rules from sponsoring initiated measures or assisting in their campaigns in any way.
