Hand-counting measure effort fizzles in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A proposed ballot measure in North Dakota that sought to require hand-counting of every election ballot, among other proposals, won’t advance.

Initiative leader Lydia Gessele said Thursday the group won’t be submitting signatures by a Friday deadline because they fell short by about 4,000 signatures of the 31,164 needed for the constitutional measure to appear on the ballot. The group had one year to gather signatures.

Deadlines for the measure to make the state’s June and November 2024 ballots came and went, though the group could have submitted signatures to appear on the June 2026 ballot.

The measure proposed myriad changes including mandating hand counts of all ballots; banning voting machines, electronic processing devices and early voting; restricting mail ballots; and allowing any U.S. citizen to verify or audit an election in North Dakota at any time.

Hand counting of ballots has been a focus of supporters of former President Donald Trump, who has made disproven claims of election fraud for his 2020 loss to Joe Biden.

Critics say hand-counting of ballots takes a long time, delays results and is more prone to errors. Supporters, who are suspicious of tabulators and machines, say hand-counting is more trustworthy, with volunteers who are willing to do it.

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Last week, the Georgia State Election Board approved a new rule requiring the hand-counting of the number of paper ballots — a move opponents fear will cause delays and problems for presidential election results in the key swing-state. A lawsuit is challenging the rule.

In June, voters in three South Dakota counties rejected hand-counting measures. Hand-count legislation in New Hampshire and Kansas failed earlier this year after passing one committee, according to a spokesperson for the Voting Rights Lab.

North Dakota, the only state without voter registration, uses only paper ballots, which are counted by electronic tabulators. Absentee voting began Thursday in the Peace Garden State.

Nearly 44% of North Dakota voters participated by early voting or by mail in the November 2022 election.