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HB 1312

Crimes and punishments; making certain acts unlawful; codification; effective date.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Justin Humphrey

HB 1312 moves school board elections to November, aligns procedures with general elections, and requires candidate filings and terms to start after December organizational meetings

Second Reading referred to Rules
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Bill Summary · HB 1312

HB 1312 — Summary (North Dakota Century Code amendments relating to school board and park district member elections)

Status: Second reading — failed to pass (yeas 12, nays 81)
Introduced: November 13, 2024

Purpose / Intent

HB 1312 would revise North Dakota law governing school board (and related park district) member elections and certain local election procedures to align school board elections with regular general-election practices, update filing and notice requirements, and adjust the timing of school board terms and initial meetings.

Key provisions

  • Amends multiple NDCC sections (15.1-09-02, 15.1-09-08, 15.1-09-17, 15.1-09-22, 15.1-09-30(1), 16.1-04-01, 16.1-07-04, 16.1-07-05, 16.1-07-08(1), 16.1-07-09, 16.1-13-05, 16.1-15-29, 40-21-02, 40-49-05, 40-49-07, 40-49-08) and repeals many older school-election provisions (15.1‑09‑09 through 15.1‑09‑16, 15.1‑09‑18 through 15.1‑09‑22, and 15.1‑09‑24).
  • Moves annual school board elections from an April–June window to the general election date (the “first Tuesday after the first Monday in November”).
  • Provides that, if a school election is held in conjunction with a city election, references to the “date of a school board election” mean the city election date.
  • Requires school districts (through their business managers) to collect candidate filings: a signed candidate document (name and position), a statement of interests (per § 16.1‑09‑02), and campaign contribution statements — all due to the school district business manager (or be in their possession) by 4 p.m. on the 64th day before the election. The business manager must forward candidate names/positions to the appropriate county auditor for inclusion on the no‑party section of the general‑election ballot.
  • Changes term/meeting timing: terms of newly elected school board members would begin at the annual meeting in December (changed from July); the board’s initial organizational meeting likewise moves to December following the election.
  • Requires the business manager to notify elected individuals of their election and duty to take the oath/affirmation within three days of the canvass and to certify election results/terms to the county superintendent within ten days.
  • Establishes that general county election procedures apply to school board elections unless the school‑election chapter provides specific rules; allows sharing of election costs/responsibilities when elections are combined.
  • Clarifies precinct‑establishment authority and deadlines (county commissioners or city governing body) and sets timing limits for establishing precincts (by Dec. 31 before an election cycle; and not later than 70 days before a special election).

Who is affected

  • School board candidates and incumbents (filing timing, term start‑date, oath timing)
  • Voters (school board elections moved to November general election)
  • School district business managers, county auditors, county canvassing boards, county superintendents, and city election officials (administration, ballots, pollbooks, cost‑sharing)
  • Park districts (named in the bill title and statutory cross‑references)

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Candidate filings: must be in possession of the school district business manager by 4:00 p.m., 64 days before the (now‑November) election.
  • Term and organizational meeting shift: from July to December after the election.
  • The bill repeals numerous legacy provisions governing school district election procedures and substitutes the updated framework described above.

Potential impacts

  • Consolidating school board elections with November general elections could increase voter participation and change turnout dynamics for school contests.
  • Administrative and cost impacts for counties, cities, and school districts (ballot preparation, pollbooks, shared staffing/costs); the bill explicitly contemplates sharing costs when elections are combined.
  • Calendar changes require districts to adjust governance schedules (oaths, organizational meetings, fiscal and operational planning tied to term starts).

Note: This summary is limited to the North Dakota version of HB 1312 described in the provided materials. The bill listed several statutory sections amended/repealed; readers should consult the full bill text for precise statutory language and any additional cross‑references (including park‑district provisions).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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