Case Summary

On August 12, 2020, Michael Haugen, the Brighter Future Alliance, and others filed suit against Alvin Jaeger, in his official capacity as North Dakota Secretary of State, in North Dakota state court challenging the Secretary of State's finding that Initiated Ballot Measure 3 qualified for placement on the November 2020 ballot. The plaintiffs argue that Measure 3, which would amend the state constitution to create an Ethics Commission to draw the state's congressional and legislative districts and change the criteria for legislative redistricting, among other changes, should not appear on the November 2020 ballot because signature-gatherers allegedly did not supply potential signers with the complete text of the statute cited in the proposed amendment. The plaintiffs sought an injunction barring the measure from being place on the ballot. On August 25, 2020, the North Dakota Supreme Court granted the petitioners' writ of injunction and ordered the Secretary of State to not place Measure 3 on the November ballot.

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North Dakota Supreme Court - 20200213