North Dakota Free School Meals Initiative (2026)
| North Dakota Free School Meals Initiative | |
|---|---|
|
|
|
| Election date |
|
| Topic Public education funding |
|
| Status Cleared for signature gathering |
|
| Type Initiated state statute |
Origin |
The North Dakota Free School Meals Initiative may appear on the ballot in North Dakota as an initiated state statute on November 3, 2026.
This measure would require public schools to provide one free breakfast and one free lunch to students.[1]
Text of measure
The full text of the initiative is available here.
Path to the ballot
Process in North Dakota
An initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are 21 states that allow citizens to initiate state statutes, including 14 that provide for direct initiatives and nine (9) that provide for indirect initiatives (two provide for both). An indirect initiated state statute goes to the legislature after a successful signature drive. The legislatures in these states have the option of approving the initiative itself, rather than the initiative appearing on the ballot.
In North Dakota, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 2% of the state's population reported by the last decennial census. Each initiative has its own unique deadline of one year after it was approved to circulate. The completed petition must be submitted at least 120 days prior to the election. The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the November 2026 ballot:
- Signatures: 15,582
- Deadline: Each initiative has its own signature deadline of one year after it was approved for circulation. The final deadline to submit signatures regardless of a petition's approval date is July 6, 2026.
Details about this initiative
- The initiative was approved for circulation on December 23, 2025. To qualify for the 2026 primary election, the signature deadline was set to be February 9, 2026. To qualify for the 2026 general election, the signature deadline was set to be July 6, 2026.[2]
See also
|
|
External links
Footnotes
