North Dakota Constitutional Measure 1, Language Describing State Institutions Amendment (2024)

North Dakota Update Constitutional Language Describing State Institutions Amendment
Election date November 5, 2024
Topic Constitutional language
Status a Approved
Type Constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

The North Dakota Update Constitutional Language Describing State Institutions Amendment was on the ballot in North Dakota as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 5, 2024. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported amending language used in the state constitution to describe certain state institutions such as changing "insane" to "individuals with mental illness", "feebleminded" to "individuals with developmental disabilities", and "deaf and dumb" to "deaf and hard of hearing."

A "no" vote opposed amending language used in the state constitution to describe certain state institutions.

Election results

North Dakota Constitutional Measure 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		301,944	84.48%
No		55,464	15.52%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

What would the amendment change?

See also: Text of measure

This amendment would update the language used in the state constitution to describe certain state institutions. Under the amendment, the following institutions would be renamed:

• the state school for the deaf and dumb in Devils Lake became the state school for the deaf and hard of hearing;
• the state hospital for the insane in Jamestown became the state hospital for the care of individuals with mental illness; and
• the institution for the feebleminded in Grafton became a facility for individuals with developmental disabilities.

What did supporters and opponents say about the measure?

See also: Support and Path to the ballot

This amendment was passed unanimously in the North Dakota State Legislature.

State Rep. Kathy Frelich (R) of Devils Lake, who works at the school for the deaf, said, "At one time, ‘dumb’ may have referred to someone who was mute. But this is not what we think of now when we use that term" and that the amendment is "a great opportunity here to replace the outdated terminology with words that are more accurate and respectful."

State Rep. Jon Nelson (R) said, "I think it goes without saying that it’s time for this change to take place and to provide people with dignity as we deal with issues of all kinds."

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for the amendment was as follows:

“

This constitutional measure would amend and reenact sections 12 and 13 of article IX of the Constitution of North Dakota, relating to the replacement of outdated terminology describing public institutions of the state. The amended sections are summarized as follows: the “school for the deaf and dumb of North Dakota” is changed to the “school for the deaf and hard of hearing”; a “state hospital for the insane” is changed to a “state hospital for the care of individuals with mental illness”; an “institution for the feebleminded” is changed to a “facility for individuals with developmental disabilities”; and a “state hospital for the mentally ill” is changed to a “state hospital for the care of individuals with mental illness.” The estimated fiscal impact of this measure is none. Yes – Means you approve the measure as summarized above. No – Means you reject the measure as summarized above.

”

Constitutional changes

See also: Article IX, North Dakota Constitution

The measure amended sections 12 and 13 of Article IX of the North Dakota Constitution. The following struck-through text was deleted and underlined text was added.

Note: Hover over the text and scroll to see the full text.

Section 12. The following public institutions of the state are permanently located at the places hereinafter named, each to have the lands specifically granted to it by the United States in the Act of Congress approved February 22, 1889, to be disposed of and used in such manner as the legislative assembly may prescribe subject to the limitations provided in the article on school and public lands contained in this constitution.

1. The seat of government at the city of Bismarck in the county of Burleigh.

2. The state university and the school of mines at the city of Grand Forks, in the county of Grand Forks.

3. The North Dakota state university of agriculture and applied science at the city of Fargo, in the county of Cass.

4. A state normal school at the city of Valley City, in the county of Barnes, and the legislative assembly, in apportioning the grant of eighty thousand acres of land for normal schools made in the Act of Congress referred to shall grant to the said normal school at Valley City, as aforementioned, fifty thousand (50,000) acres, and said lands are hereby appropriated to said institution for that purpose.

5. The school for the deaf and dumb of North Dakota hard of hearing at the city of Devils Lake, in the county of Ramsey.

6. A state training school at the city of Mandan, in the county of Morton.

7. A state normal school at the city of Mayville, in the county of Traill, and the legislative assembly in apportioning the grant of lands made by Congress in the Act aforesaid for state normal schools shall assign thirty thousand (30,000) acres to the institution hereby located at Mayville, and said lands are hereby appropriated for said purpose.

8. A state hospital for the insane care of individuals with mental illness at the city of Jamestown, in the county of Stutsman. And the legislative assembly shall appropriate twenty thousand acres of the grant of lands made by the Act of Congress aforesaid for other educational and charitable institutions to the benefit and for the endowment of said institution, and there shall be located at or near the city of Grafton, in the county of Walsh, an institution a facility for the feebleminded individuals with developmental disabilities, on the grounds purchased by the secretary of the interior for a penitentiary building.

Section 13. The following public institutions are located as provided, each to have so much of the remaining grant of one hundred seventy thousand acres of land made by the United States for "other educational and charitable institutions" as is allotted by law:

1. A soldiers' home, when located, or such other charitable institution as the legislative assembly may determine, at the city of Lisbon in the county of Ransom, with a grant of forty thousand acres of land.

2. The school for the blind at the city of Grand Forks in the county of Grand Forks or at such other location as may be determined by the legislative assembly to be in the best interests of the students of such institution and the state of North Dakota.

3. A school of forestry, or such other institution as the legislative assembly may determine, at such place in one of the counties of McHenry, Ward, Bottineau, or Rolette, as the electors of said counties may determine by an election for that purpose, to be held as provided by the legislative assembly.

4. A school of science or such other educational or charitable institution as the legislative assembly may prescribe, at the city of Wahpeton in the county of Richland, with a grant of forty thousand acres.

5. A state college at the city of Minot in the county of Ward.

6. A state college at the city of Dickinson in the county of Stark.

7. A state hospital for the mentally ill care of individuals with mental illness at such place within this state as shall be selected by the legislative assembly.

No other institution of a character similar to any one of those located by article IX, section 12, or this section shall be established or maintained without an amendment of this constitution.

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2024

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The secretary of state wrote the ballot language for this measure.

The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 11, and the FRE is 45. The word count for the ballot title is 144.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• State Rep. Kathy Frelich (R)
• State Rep. Jon Nelson (R)

Arguments

• Sate Rep. Kathy Frelich (R): State Rep. Kathy Frelich of Devils Lake, and who works at the school for the deaf, said, "At one time, ‘dumb’ may have referred to someone who was mute. But this is not what we think of now when we use that term" and that the amendment is "a great opportunity here to replace the outdated terminology with words that are more accurate and respectful."
• State Rep. Jon Nelson: "I think it goes without saying that it’s time for this change to take place and to provide people with dignity as we deal with issues of all kinds."

Opposition

Ballotpedia did not locate a campaign in opposition to the ballot measure.

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for North Dakota ballot measures

If you are aware of a committee registered to support or oppose this measure, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Oppose	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

Polls

See also: 2024 ballot measure polls

Are you aware of a poll on this ballot measure that should be included below? You can share ballot measure polls, along with source links, with us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

North Dakota Constitutional Measure 1, Language Describing State Institutions Amendment (2024)
Poll	Dates	Sample size	Margin of error	Support	Oppose	Undecided

North Dakota News Cooperative, WPA Intelligence	09/28/2024-9/30/2024	500 RV	± 4.4%	75%	9%	16%
	Question: "A Constitutional question that would change outdated terminology that describes public institutions in North Dakota."

Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters.

Background

State institutions in Devils Lake, Jamestown, and Grafton

The state institutions in Devils Lake, Jamestown, and Grafton were established on lands granted to North Dakota by the United States through the Enabling Act of 1889. The lands are managed by the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands.

School for the Deaf in Devils Lake

This amendment would change the name of the state school for the deaf and dumb in Devils Lake to the state school for the deaf and hard of hearing. The state's original constitution of 1889 provided for a deaf and dumb asylum located in Devils Lake, North Dakota. In 1904, voters approved an amendment changing the name to the school for the deaf and dumb of North Dakota. The measure was approved by a vote of 77% in favor to 23% opposed.

As of 2023, the state's website referred to the school as the North Dakota School for the Deaf/Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The website described the school's mission as follows:

“

Through residential and day programming, the North Dakota School for the Deaf/Resource Center (NDSD/RC) will provide optimum educational, social/emotional, and cultural experiences for deaf and hard of hearing children (preschool through 8th grade) and will serve as a resource center for outreach services for all North Dakota citizens who are deaf and/or hard of hearing (infants through senior citizens). As per recent legislation (ND Century Code 25-07-12), the school for the deaf may collaborate (not compete) with public and private entities for the provision of services to adult individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

”

State hospital for individuals with mental illness in Jamestown

Before statehood, the Dakota Territory Legislative Assembly provided for a hospital for the insane in Jamestown, North Dakota. The hospital opened on May 1, 1885. House Bill 600, passed by the state legislature in 1951, changed the name of the North Dakota State Hospital for the Insane to the North Dakota State Hospital in state law. The 2024 proposed constitutional amendment would change the name of the state hospital for the insane in Jamestown to the state hospital for individuals with mental illness in the state constitution.

As of 2023, the North Dakota State Hospital provided "short-term acute inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse treatment, intermediate psycho-social rehabilitation services, forensic services, and safety net services for adults. The hospital also provides residential addiction treatment services for adult male and female clients referred to the Tompkins Rehabilitation Center (TRC). The inpatient psychiatric service and TRC are considered the traditional patient population. The NDSH also provides inpatient evaluation and treatment services for sexually dangerous individuals. This group of patients is housed and treated in the secure services unit of the NDSH."

Facility for individuals with developmental disabilities in Grafton

The state legislature referred an amendment to the ballot in 1904 that established an institution for the feebleminded to be located in the city of Grafton. Voters approved the amendment by a vote of 74% to 26%. Under the 2024 amendment, the institution for the feebleminded in Grafton would become a facility for individuals with developmental disabilities.

As of 2023, the facility was called the Life Skills and Transition Center. The state website for the facility described it as a "comprehensive support agency serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Grafton" and that serves as a "crisis and stabilization center, as well as a safety net for people whose needs exceed community resources."

Referred amendments on the ballot

From 1996 through 2022, the state legislature referred 37 constitutional amendments to the ballot. Voters approved 24 and rejected 13 of the referred amendments. All of the amendments were referred to the ballot during even-numbered election years. The average number of amendments appearing on the ballot was about three. The approval rate of referred amendments at the ballot box was 64.86% from 1996 through 2022. The rejection rate was 35.14%. The following table contains data for referred amendments during even-numbered election years from 1996 through 2022:

Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments, 1996-2022
Total number	Approved	Percent approved	Defeated	Percent defeated	Even-year average	Even-year median	Even-year minimum	Even-year maximum
37	24	64.86%	13	35.14%	3	2	0	8

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the North Dakota Constitution

To put a legislatively referred constitutional amendment before voters, a simple majority vote is required in both the North Dakota State Senate and the North Dakota House of Representatives.

This amendment was introduced as Senate Concurrent Resolution 4001 on January 3, 2023. The Senate approved the amendment unanimously on January 16, 2023. The amendment was approved unanimously in the House on March 22, 2023.

Vote in the North Dakota State Senate January 16, 2023
Requirement: Simple majority vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 24  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	47	0	0
Total percent	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Democrat	4	0	0
Republican	43	0	0

Vote in the North Dakota House of Representatives March 22, 2023
Requirement: Simple majority vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 48  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	92	0	2
Total percent	97.87%	0.00%	2.13%
Democrat	12	0	0
Republican	80	0	2

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in North Dakota

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in North Dakota.

How to vote in North Dakota

Poll times

In North Dakota, voting hours at polling locations vary by county. According to statute, all polls must open between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. local time, and they must close between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. North Dakota is divided between the Central and Mountain time zones. Hours for specific polling places are available online through the state's Polling Place Search. A voter who is standing in line at the time the polls close will be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter information here.

North Dakota is the only state that does not require voter registration.

“	Although North Dakota was one of the first states to adopt voter registration prior to the turn of the century, it abolished it in 1951. It is also worth noting that North Dakota law still provides cities with the ability to register voters for city elections. North Dakota is a rural state and its communities maintain close ties and networks. North Dakota's system of voting, and lack of voter registration, is rooted in its rural character by providing small precincts. Establishing relatively small precincts is intended to ensure that election boards know the voters who come to the polls to vote on Election Day and can easily detect those who should not be voting in the precinct.	”
—North Dakota Secretary of State

Voter ID requirements

North Dakota requires voters to present identification while voting. Identification must include the voter’s name, current North Dakota residential address, and date of birth.

The following are acceptable forms of voter identification as of October 2025. Click here for the North Dakota Secretary of State page on accepted ID for the most current information.

• Driver’s license
• Nondriver’s identification card
• Tribal government-issued identification (including those issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for a tribe located in North Dakota, any other tribal agency or entity, or any other document that sets forth the tribal member’s name, date of birth, and current North Dakota residential address)
• Long-term care identification certificate (provided by North Dakota facility)

If a voter does not have a form of identification that includes his or her current North Dakota residential address or date of birth, the voter can present the following supplemental documents:

• Current utility bill
• Current bank statement
• Check or a document issued by a federal, state, local, or tribal government (including those issued by BIA for a tribe located in North Dakota, any other tribal agency or entity, or any other document that sets forth the tribal member’s name, date of birth, and current North Dakota residential address)
• Paycheck
• Student photo ID card from a North Dakota institution containing the student's photograph and legal name. A printed document on school letterhead containing the student’s name, address, and date of birth must also be presented.
• North Dakota residents living outside of the United States can submit a U.S. Passport or Military ID if they do not have another valid form of identification.

According to the secretary of state's office, an absentee ballot applicant "without an acceptable form of ID may use an attester." The attester "must provide name, valid ID number and sign the absentee or mail ballot application attesting the applicant's ND residency or voting eligibility."

See also

2024 measures

• 2024 ballot measures
• Constitutional language on the ballot

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

• Senate Concurrent Resolution 4001