This bill amends existing North Dakota law regarding recall elections for elected officials, specifically targeting members of city governing bodies, park districts, and school boards. It establishes a new section in the North Dakota Century Code that allows for the recall of these officials by a petition signed by at least thirty-five percent of the voters who participated in the most recent election for that office. The bill also stipulates that recall petitions must include a stated reason for the recall and must be approved by the Secretary of State before circulation. Additionally, it requires that petitions have a minimum of fifteen sponsors if the city population exceeds 250 or if the school district has an enrollment greater than 250.

The bill further outlines the procedures for circulating and filing recall petitions, including the requirement for signatures to be gathered within ninety days of approval and the timeline for calling a special election following the certification of the petition's validity. Notably, it specifies that a recall election cannot occur if candidate filings are not received by the filing officer before the deadline, in which case the recall petition would be declared ineffective. The bill also includes provisions to prevent a member from being recalled twice during their term and establishes that a member cannot be recalled if a regularly scheduled election is set to occur within one year.

Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 16.1-01-09.1, 44-08-21
Adopted by the Senate State and Local Government Committee: 16.1-01-09.1, 44-08-21
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 16.1-01-09.1, 44-08-21
Adopted by the House Political Subdivisions Committee: 16.1-01-09.1, 44-08-21
Enrollment: 16.1-01-09.1, 44-08-21