North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum vetoes bill banning ranked choice voting and approval voting

(Fargo, ND) -- North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has vetoed House Bill 1273. 

The bill, which bans approval voting and ranked choice voting, passed both the House and Senate with vote margins clearing the two-thirds majority threshold that lawmakers would need to override the governor's veto. 

"House Bill 1273 undermines local control of local political subdivisions exercising their granted powers under home rule charter, specifically prohibiting using an approval voting method or ranked-choice voting method in local elections. This bill also applies restrictions to local elections held by counties, cities and other political subdivisions, regardless of whether they have adopted a home rule charter," wrote Burgum.

The House is set to vote on an override Friday.

If that vote is successful, the bill would go back to the Senate for an override vote.