North Dakota State Legislative Term Limits Amendment (2026)

North Dakota State Legislative Term Limits Amendment
Election date November 3, 2026
Topic State legislative term limits
Status On the ballot
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

The North Dakota State Legislative Term Limits Amendment is on the ballot in North Dakota as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2026.

A "yes" vote supports changing the existing state legislative term limits. Approving the measure would limit state legislators to serving four complete four-year terms (16 years) in the state legislature regardless of chamber. A term that is less than four-years would not count toward the term limit. The state legislature would be authorized to amend term limitations.

A "no" vote opposes changing state legislative term limits. Rejecting the measure would leave in place current term limits for state legislators of eight years in the state House and eight years in the state Senate (16 years split between both chambers). Legislators could not serve a term or remaining portion of a term if it would cause the legislator to have served a cumulative time of more than eight years in the chamber. Term limitations could only be changed by initiative petition and not by the state legislature.

Overview

How would the amendment change North Dakota's existing term limits?

See also: Text of measure

The amendment would change the state's existing term limits for state legislators. Under the amendment, legislators could serve four complete four-year terms regardless of chamber. A term that is less than four years would not count toward the term limit.

The amendment would repeal the constitutional provision established by Constitutional Measure 1 of 2022, which provided that term limits could only be amended or repealed by initiative petition and not by the state legislature.

Provision	Current law	Proposed amendment
Time limit	Up to 8 years in the house and 8 years in the senate (16 years total, split between chambers)	Up to four full four-year terms (16 years total)
Chamber limits	Separate limits for each chamber (8 years in house, 8 years in senate)	No limit for each chamber; limit is for time in legislative assembly as a whole
Basis of limit	Cumulative time served measured in years	Number of complete terms
Partial terms	Cannot complete term if it would cause the member to serve over 8 years in a chamber	Partial terms do not count toward limit
Amending term limits	Must be proposed by citizen initiative petition	May be proposed by the state legislature or by citizen initiative petition

Does North Dakota have term limits?

See also: Constitutional Measure 1 (2022)

In 2022, North Dakota voters approved an initiative, Constitutional Measure 1, creating term limits for the governor and state legislators. The initiative limited the governor to serving two terms. It limited state legislators to serving eight years in the state House and eight years in the state Senate for a total of 16 years with no more than 8 years served in each chamber. Under the initiative, a member of the House or Senate could not serve a term or remaining portion of a term if it would cause the legislator to have served a cumulative time of more than eight years in the chamber. The initiative applied to individuals elected after approval of the amendment. The measure also prohibited state legislators from amending term limits, requiring changes to term limits to be proposed by initiative petition.

Do other states have term limits for state legislators?

See also: Term limits for state legislators across the U.S.

As of 2025, 16 states had term limits on state legislators: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. In the United States, there are 1,973 state senate seats and 5,413 state house seats. Of the 1,973 senate seats, 609 seats (30.9%) are subject to term limits. Of the 5,413 house seats, 1,460 seats (27.0%) are subject to term limits. Of the total 7,386 state legislative seats, 2,069 (28.0%) are limited.

In six of the 16 states with limits on state legislators, the limit is a lifetime limit. These states are California, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, and Oklahoma. In these states, once a legislator has served the maximum allowable number of terms in a particular legislative chamber, they may never again run for or hold office in that particular chamber. In other states, the term limit is a limit on consecutive terms, meaning legislators can run again after a break from office.

What have legislators said about the amendment?

See also: Support and Opposition

State Reps. David Monson (R-19) and Mike Brandenburg (R-28) voted in favor of the amendment. Monson said, “We’ve got to vote this in, and we’ve got to convince the people that this is a lot better plan than what we’ve got on the books right now.” Brandenburg stated, “If we are going to have term limits, then let’s do it right. Let’s have term limits where we have a smooth transition so that the people have the proper representation to be able to make sure the people’s voice are heard.”

State Reps. Jared Hendrix (R-10), Lori VanWinkle (R-3), and Steve Vetter (R-18) voted against the amendment. Hendrix, who sponsored the 2022 initiative establishing term limits, said, “You have plain language in the constitution restricting what the Legislature can do.” VanWinkle said, “I don’t know how we’re going to justify overrunning the will of the people. The power reserved to changing term limits is reserved to the initiative process.” Vetter said, “The senators don’t want to become representatives. That’s really what this bill is because that’s all it does.”

Text of measure

Constitutional changes

See also: Article XV, North Dakota Constitution

The measure would amend Article XV of the North Dakota Constitution. The following struck-through text would be deleted and underlined text would be added.

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

An individual shall may not serve more than four complete four-year terms as a member of the house of representatives for a cumulative period of time amounting to more than eight years. An individual shall not serve as a member of the senate for a cumulative period of time amounting to more than eight years legislative assembly. An individual shall not be eligible to serve a full or remaining term individual's service as a member of the house of representatives or the senate if serving the full or remaining legislative assembly during a term would cause the individual to serve for a cumulative period of time amounting to more than eight years in that respective house that is less than four years does not count toward the term limit for a member of the house of representatives or the senate under this section.

SECTION 2. TERM LIMITS FOR GOVERNOR. An individual shall not be elected to the office of governor more than twice. This provision shall not prevent the lieutenant governor from succeeding to the office of governor, nor prevent the secretary of state from acting as governor.

SECTION 3. APPLICATION OF TERM LIMITS. The limitations established by this article shall have prospective effect only and service as a member of the house of representatives. service as a member of the senate and prior election to the office of governor shall not be counted against any service or election, respectively, of any individual that occurs after the effective date of this amendment. Service by the lieutenant governor in his capacity as president of the senate shall not count toward the cumulative amount of time an individual may serve as a member of the senate.

SECTION 4. THE PEOPLES TERM LIMITS AMENDMENT. Notwithstanding the legislative assembly's authority to propose amendments to this constitution under Article IV section 16 thereof, the legislative assembly shall not have authority to propose an amendment to this constitution to alter or repeal the term limitations established in section 1 of this article. The authority to propose an amendment to this constitution to alter or repeal the term limitations established in section 1 of this article is reserved to initiative petition of the people under article Ill of this constitution.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• Sen. Sean Cleary (R)
• Sen. Dick Dever (R)
• Sen. David Hogue (R)
• Rep. Jim Jonas
• Rep. David Monson (R)
• Rep. Austen Schauer (R)

Arguments

• State Rep. David Monson (R-19): "We’ve got to vote this in, and we’ve got to convince the people that this is a lot better plan than what we’ve got on the books right now."
• State Rep. Mike Brandenburg (R-28): "If we are going to have term limits, then let’s do it right. Let’s have term limits where we have a smooth transition so that the people have the proper representation to be able to make sure the people’s voice are heard."

Opposition

Opponents

Officials

• Rep. Jared Hendrix (R)
• Rep. Lori VanWinkle (R)
• Rep. Steve Vetter (R)

Arguments

• State Rep. Jared Hendrix (R-10): “You have plain language in the constitution restricting what the Legislature can do."
• State Rep. Lori VanWinkle (R-3): "I don’t know how we’re going to justify overrunning the will of the people. The power reserved to changing term limits is reserved to the initiative process."
• State Rep. Steve Vetter (R-18): "The senators don’t want to become representatives. That’s really what this bill is because that’s all it does."

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

Background

Term limits

See also: Term limits in the United States

A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office.

There are different types of term limits. Sometimes, there is an absolute limit on the number of terms a person can serve, while in other cases, the restrictions are merely on the number of consecutive terms.

Constitutional Measure 1 (2022)

See also: North Dakota Constitutional Measure 1, Term Limits for Governor and State Legislators Initiative (2022)

Prior to 2022, the governor and lawmakers each served four-year terms with no limit on the number of terms that may be served.

In 2022, North Dakota voters approved an initiative, Constitutional Measure 1, creating term limits for the governor and state legislators. The initiative was sponsored by North Dakota for Term Limits and U.S. Term Limits.

The initiative limited the governor to serving two terms. It limited state legislators to serving eight years in the state House and eight years in the state Senate for a total of 16 years with no more than 8 years served in each chamber. Under the initiative, a member of the House or Senate could not serve a term or remaining portion of a term if it would cause the legislator to have served a cumulative time of more than eight years in the chamber. The initiative applied to individuals elected after approval of the amendment.

The measure also provided that "the legislative assembly shall not have authority to propose an amendment to this constitution to alter or repeal the term limitations established" under the amendment, meaning that only citizens could change term limit provisions via initiative petition.

North Dakota party control

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2021, North Dakota was under the following types of trifecta control:

• Democratic trifecta: None
• Republican trifecta: 1995-2021
• Divided government: 1992-1994

North Dakota Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas  •  Thirty-one years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Term limits for state legislators across the U.S.

See also: State legislatures with term limits

As of 2024, 16 states had term limits on state legislators: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. In the United States, there are 1,973 state senate seats and 5,413 state house seats. Of the 1,973 senate seats, 609 seats (30.9%) are subject to term limits. Of the 5,413 house seats, 1,460 seats (27.0%) are subject to term limits. Of the total 7,386 state legislative seats, 2,069 (28.0%) are limited.

Legislative term limits can be either lifetime or consecutive. In the ten states where the limits are consecutive, once a state legislator has served the maximum number of terms in office, he or she, if eligible, can run for office for the state's other legislative chamber, or leave the legislature. These states are Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, and South Dakota. After a period of time no longer in office in a particular legislative chamber, however, the legislator is allowed to run again for office in that legislative chamber. The period of time that a legislator must be out of office before being able to run again is usually two years.

In six of the 16 states with limits on state legislators, the limit is a lifetime limit. These states are California, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, and Oklahoma. In these states, once a legislator has served the maximum allowable number of terms in a particular legislative chamber, they may never again run for or hold office in that particular chamber.

Term-limited legislators by state

The map below shows the 16 states that use term limits for state legislators.

States with legislative limits
Legislature	Limits in effect	Year limits imposed	Year limits took effect
Arizona Legislature	H: 4 terms (8 years) S: 4 terms (8 years)	1992	H: 2000 S: 2000
Arkansas Legislature	12 consecutive years; can return after a four-year break	1992, 2014, modified 2020	H: 1998 S: 2000
California Legislature	12 year cumulative total, in either or both	1990, modified 2012	A: 1996 S: 1998
Colorado Legislature	H: 4 terms (8 years) S: 2 terms (8 years)	1990	H: 1998 S: 1998
Florida Legislature	H: 4 terms (8 years) S: 2 terms (8 years)	1992	H: 2000 S: 2000
Louisiana Legislature	H: 3 terms (12 years) S: 3 terms (12 years)	1995	H: 2007 S: 2007
Maine Legislature	H: 4 terms (8 years) S: 4 terms (8 years)	1993	H: 1996 S: 1996
Michigan Legislature	12 year cumulative total, in either or both	1992, modified 2022	H: 1998 S: 2002
Missouri Legislature	H: 4 terms (8 years) S: 2 terms (8 years)	Amendment 13 (1992) (also see: Amendment 3 (2002)	H: 2002 S: 2002
Montana Legislature	H: 4 terms (8 years) S: 2 terms (8 years)	1992	H: 2000 S: 2000
Nebraska Unicameral	S: 2 terms (8 years)	2000	S: 2008
Nevada Legislature	A: 6 terms (12 years) S: 3 terms (12 years)	Initiative passed in 1996, took effect with those elected in 1998	A: 2010 S: 2010
North Dakota Legislature	H: 2 terms (8 years) S: 2 terms (8 years)	2022	H: 2023 S: 2023
Ohio Legislature	H: 4 terms (8 years) S: 2 terms (8 years)	1992	H: 2000 S: 2000
Oklahoma Legislature	12 year cumulative total, in either or both	1990	H: 2004 S: 2004
South Dakota Legislature	H: 4 terms (8 years) S: 4 terms (8 years)	1992	H: 2000 S: 2000

Term limits that have been overturned

In six states, voters approved of term limits, but would later have these changes nullified. For Idaho and Utah, the state legislature voted to nullify the limits imposed by voters, while for Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, courts nullified the voter-imposed limits.

By legislature

• The Idaho State Legislature repealed its own term limits in 2002.
• The Utah State Legislature repealed its own term limits in 2003.

By courts

• In 1997, the Massachusetts Supreme Court overturned term limits on the Massachusetts General Court.
• In 2002, the Oregon Supreme Court overturned the state's term limits on the grounds that the initiative voters approved the imposed term limits had more than one subject.
• The Washington Supreme Court voided state term limits in 1998.
• In 2004, the Wyoming Supreme Court overturned term limits imposed by the state's voters.

Path to the ballot

Amending the North Dakota Constitution

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.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 4008 (2025)

The following is the timeline of the constitutional amendment in the state legislature:

• January 27, 2025: The amendment was introduced in the Senate.
• March 17, 2025: The Senate passed the amendment in a vote of 24-23.
• April 1, 2025: The amendment failed by a vote of 46-43 in the House. Of the 11 House Democrats, 10 voted no and one was absent. Of the 83 House Republicans, 46 voted in favor, 33 voted against, and four were absent.
• April 2, 2025: The House approved the amendment by a vote of 53-39. Of the 11 House Democrats, two voted in favor, eight voted against, and one was absent. Of the 83 House Republicans, 51 voted in favor, 31 voted against, and one was absent.

Vote in the North Dakota State Senate March 17, 2025
Requirement: Simple majority vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 24  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	24	23	0
Total percent	51.06%	48.94%	0.00%
Democrat	2	3	0
Republican	22	20	0

Vote in the North Dakota House of Representatives April 2, 2025
Requirement: Simple majority vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 48  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	53	39	2
Total percent	55.79%	41.49%	2.13%
Democrat	2	8	1
Republican	51	31	1

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.

Acceptable forms of voter identification include:

• 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 applicant without an acceptable form of identification may use an attester. The attester must provide his or her name, North Dakota driver’s license, nondriver’s, or tribal identification number, and sign the absentee/mail ballot application form to attest to the applicant’s North Dakota residency and voting eligibility."

Voters who cast absentee/mail-in ballot must include a valid form of identification with their ballot. A voter who has a disability that prevents them from leaving his or her home and is unable to obtain a valid form of identification "must provide his or her name, North Dakota driver’s license, nondriver’s, or tribal identification number, and sign the absentee/mail ballot application form to attest to the applicant’s North Dakota residency and voting eligibility."

See also

2026 measures

• 2026 ballot measures
• Term limits 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 4008

Footnotes

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