Initiative to revamp ND redistricting falls short

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A proposal to revamp North Dakota's legislative redistricting process won't be going on the ballot next year.

The initiated measure sought to change the North Dakota Constitution. It would have given an independent commission the power to draw new district lines. Now, the job is done by state legislators themselves.

The ballot measure needed to turn in almost 27,000 petition signatures by Tuesday to get on the June primary ballot. Campaign chairwoman Lois Ivers Altenburg of Fargo says the petition only got about 5,000 signatures.

The effort is backed by North Dakota's League of Women Voters. Altenburg says the league plans a public education effort on redistricting in the next few years. Then the league will start circulating another initiative petition.

Altenburg says the redistricting issue is tough to explain.

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