Secretary of state rescinds recall petition for Valley City lawmaker
MINOT, N.D. — Back in July, a group of Republicans representing a far-right faction of the NDGOP launched a recall petition for Rep. Dwight Kiefert, a Republican lawmaker from Valley City.
Among their gripes was Kiefert’s vote to expel former Bastiat Caucus lawmaker Luke Simons amid multiple accusations of long-standing harassment of other lawmakers and legislative staff.
Secretary of State Al Jaeger says it’s now a moot point. In a letter sent to the recall committee, Jaeger said redistricting will require Kiefert to run for re-election next year anyway, and state law doesn’t allow the recall of a politician so close to their regular election.
Last week, at a special session, the Legislature approved a redistricting map that impacted District 24, which Kiefert currently represents. That means Kiefert’s term, which otherwise would have run to 2024, now ends in 2022. If he wants to stay in office, he must campaign in 2022 for a two-year term, and then run again in 2024 for a regular four-year term.
It’s a little confusing, I know, but for the recall petitioners, it means their campaign is off.
