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Committee considers tightening recall rules for city officials; cities say changes would reduce nuisance recalls
Summary
Senate Bill 22-69 would raise signature thresholds and sponsor counts for municipal recall petitions and allow canceling a recall election if the incumbent is the only candidate. City officials and the League of Cities backed the bill as a way to prevent recall campaigns launched by very small groups.
Senator Kristen Rohrs (District 27) asked the State and Local Government Committee to consider Senate Bill 22-69, which would increase the signature thresholds and sponsor-count requirements to initiate a recall of a city governing-body member and would allow a city to avoid the cost of holding a recall election if the incumbent is the only candidate who files.
Rohrs said she drafted the bill after requests from Horace city leaders and after seeing several recalls in that community. The proposal would raise the required number of petition sponsors from five to 15 and increase the required petition signatures from 25% to 35% of the prior election’s turnout for that office.
Corey Peterson of the North Dakota League of Cities, who previously served as Horace mayor, testified that recalls in Horace targeted council members over tax concerns and that the process was “way too easy” under current law. Peterson supported changing thresholds and warned that easy recalls discourage candidates from running for local office.
Brent Holber, Horace city administrator, described the operational burden and cost of recalls in his city and provided cost estimates: county administration and related staff time pushed the total local cost toward $12,000–$13,000 for prior recall elections in Horace. He suggested adding a clear header on every signature page to disclose the recalled official and the circulator’s name to improve transparency.
League witnesses and Horace officials asked the committee to consider small-city exceptions because 26 North Dakota cities would have fewer than 15 residents to serve as petition sponsors. Members discussed drafting a population cutoff or percentage-based carveout so very small municipalities are not unduly burdened.
State election director Erica White joined the hearing in a neutral capacity and said the Secretary of State prescribes petition forms; she said adding circulator names and a clear header on each signature page would be administratively feasible. White also explained counties already vary in how much election help they give to cities and said county participation is voluntary.
The committee did not take a final vote. Members asked staff to consider language to protect small municipalities and to reflect Secretary of State recommendations that would include school boards in the same recall framework for officials elected on the primary ballot.
