North Dakota Group Submits Signatures to Place Adult-Use Legalization Initiative on November Ballot

After failed attempts in two previous elections, North Dakota voters are on track to get another chance to legalize adult-use cannabis in November. New Economic Frontier (NEF), the committee behind the state’s most recent initiative to legalize adult-use cannabis, announced that it submitted 22,444 signatures—more than the 15,582 required—to qualify for the November 2024 ballot. The Secretary of State’s office now must verify the signatures before the measure can be guaranteed to appear before voters in the upcoming election.

Under the initiative, adults 21 and older would be able to possess small amounts of cannabis and a legal framework would be created for the cultivation, processing, and sale of adult-use cannabis. It also calls for the state’s Department of Health and Human Services or another agency, board, commission, or department designated by the state Legislature to oversee licensing of adult-use businesses.

If passed by voters, the measure would “conservatively permit up to seven manufacturing facilities and 18 dispensaries across North Dakota,” according to an NEF statement. “It includes provisions for secure tracking systems, stringent quality control testing, and strict limits on purchase amounts, also addressing impaired driving and workplace safety issues.”

“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who made this initiative possible. North Dakotans really stepped up to support this cause—from the businesses that offered their support, to the dedicated circulators who braved all kinds of weather, to every single person who took the time to sign,” Steve Bakken, NEF chair and former mayor of Bismarck, said in the statement. “People are ready for a commonsense approach to cannabis. This isn’t just about changing laws—it’s about creating opportunities and bringing our communities together.”

“We didn't just meet the requirement, we blew past it and that's no accident,” Jake Mittelsteadt, NEF committee member, said in the statement. “We wanted to send a clear message that North Dakota is ready for this change. Even if some signatures don't make the cut, we're confident voters will have their say come November. And while some have raised concerns about the measure not addressing specific tax laws, it’s important to understand that those details are the legislature's responsibility, not ours. Our job is to bring this issue to the ballot, letting North Dakotans decide on the principle.”

Voters in the state failed to pass Measure 2 in a major letdown in the November 2022 election, with 54.95% opposing the measure and 45.05% supporting it, as Cannabis Business Times previously reported, and also failed to pass Issue 3 in the November 2018 election by a wide margin of 60% opposed to 40% in favor.