Bills impacting elections, including mail-in ballots, heard at ND Legislature

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Lawmakers have before them a slate of bills that would affect how elections are run in North Dakota.

About 30 pieces of legislation are being considered, including one from Senator Jeff Magrum of Hazelton. SB 2308 would eliminate mail-in ballots. Senator Magrum says mail-in voting increases election costs for counties and creates more opportunities for voter fraud to occur.

”The case in point here is there’s a lot of room for mischief with the mail-in balloting and I think there will be some testimony to that effect,” said Senator Magrum, R-Hazelton.

Secretary of State Michael Howe testified in opposition to the bill. He says in the last two elections, more than half of North Dakotans have utilized vote by mail. In 2022, the State Auditor’s office determined the state’s election systems are “incredibly secure.”