Marijuana petition approved for circulation

Secretary of State Michael Howe on Thursday approved a petition for circulation that seeks to put a measure to legalize cannabis on the election ballot.

The proposal, if passed, would make it legal for those ages 21 and older to produce, process, sell and use cannabis. It also would appoint a state body to regulate cannabis-related businesses in North Dakota.

In order to make it on a ballot, the petition’s backers will have to collect at least 15,582 valid signatures by April 25, 2025, according to a Thursday announcement by the Secretary of State’s Office.

If the signatures are turned in by July 8 of this year, the measure will be up for a vote in the general election in November.

Supporters of legalizing marijuana in North Dakota submit petition for ballot measure

If the circulators don’t make that deadline but still submit the signatures by April 25, 2025, then the measure will be on the ballot for the next statewide election, which is expected to take place in 2026.

A job ad posted to Indeed says supporters of the measure are hiring North Dakota residents to circulate petitions in Bismarck, Dickinson, Devils Lake, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot and Williston.

North Dakota voters rejected a statewide measure to legalize marijuana in 2022, with 55% of voters opposing the measure. A similar ballot measure failed in 2018 by an even wider margin.

Marijuana for medical use is legal in North Dakota.