The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.North Dakota SB 2178 modifies central voter file record requirements and primary ballot formatting rules
Last action · January 24, 2025: Second reading, failed to pass, yeas 4 nays 42Sponsors: Chuck Walen and 3 others
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What This Bill Proposed
North Dakota Senate Bill 2178 adjusts state election laws by updating the required contents of the , revising primary election ballot formats and rules, and modifying candidate petition and nomination procedures. The measure sets forth requirements regarding voter history retention, absentee ballot requests, and political party ballot access.
Changes the specific data points retained in state voter databases, adjusts how primary ballots display political parties and candidates, and alters deadlines and signature thresholds for independent and minor party nominations.
- North Dakota's central voter file serves as the statewide repository for voter registration data and election history. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Voters
Voters are subject to new ballot formatting rules, single-party primary voting restrictions, and updated data collection in the central voter file.
County Auditors
County auditors must manage emergency absentee ballot drop-offs, publish sample ballots according to revised rules, and mail ballot applications.
Secretary of State
The secretary of state oversees central voter file administration, prescribes absentee application forms, and deposits fees into the general services operating fund.
Political Parties
Political parties and organizations face updated qualification thresholds for ballot access and candidate endorsement.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information is stored in the central voter file under this measure?
Can voters cast votes for candidates from multiple political parties in a primary election?
What is the deadline for returning an emergency absentee ballot on election day?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Failed in the Senate.
Procedural history
4 actions- Jan 24, 2025SenateSecond reading, failed to pass, yeas 4 nays 42
- Jan 23, 2025SenateCommitteeReported back, do not pass, placed on calendar 6 0 0
- Jan 23, 2025SenateCommitteeCommittee Hearing 10:00
- Jan 13, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced, first reading, referred State and Local Government Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
ndlegis.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 45)
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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