North Dakota Amendment 3, Direct Democracy Amendment (1978)

North Dakota Amendment 3
Election date November 7, 1978
Topic Initiative and referendum process and Recall process
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

North Dakota Amendment 3 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in North Dakota on November 7, 1978. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported amending the North Dakota Constitution to provide for the following initiative and referendum requirements: each initiative, referendum and amendment must be proposed to a committee of 25 electors, with 1 of them serving as chairperson. each petition form must be approved by the Secretary of State and is subject to the right of review by the North Dakota Supreme Court; all petition signers must write in their post office address and the date of signing; require signatures for initiative and referred measures from at least two percent of the state's resident population; require signatures for initiated constitutional amendments from at least four percent of the state's resident population; and require recall petitions to be signed by 25 percent of those voting at the preceding general election for the office of governor in the state, county or district in which the official is to be recalled.

A "no" vote opposed amending the North Dakota Constitution to provide for the following initiative and referendum requirements: each initiative, referendum and amendment must be proposed to a committee of 25 electors, with 1 of them serving as chairperson. each petition form must be approved by the Secretary of State and is subject to the right of review by the North Dakota Supreme Court; all petition signers must write in their post office address and the date of signing; require signatures for initiative and referred measures from at least two percent of the state's resident population; require signatures for initiated constitutional amendments from at least four percent of the state's resident population; and require recall petitions to be signed by 25 percent of those voting at the preceding general election for the office of governor in the state, county or district in which the official is to be recalled.

Election results

North Dakota Amendment 3
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		102,182	57.54%
No		75,413	42.46%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Amendment 3 was as follows:

“

A concurrent resolution for the creation of a new article to the Constitution of the State of North Dakota, relating to the power of initiative, referendum, and recall, to amend section 202 of the Constitution of the State of North Dakota, relating to constitutional amendment; and to repeal section 25 of the Constitution of the State of North Dakota, relating to legislative power and the powers of initiative and referendum, and article 33 of the amendments to the Constitution of the State of North Dakota, relating to recall, and providing an effective date.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the North Dakota Constitution

A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the North Dakota State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 48 votes in the North Dakota House of Representatives and 24 votes in the North Dakota State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

1978 Measures

• 1978 Measures
• Initiative and referendum process on the ballot
• Recall process on the ballot
• 1978 legislative sessions

North Dakota

• North Dakota ballot measures
• North Dakota ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• North Dakota List of Measures