Editorial by: North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe

We hear it every two years — “This is the most important election of our lifetime!” 

In a sense, it is true. Not because of who the candidates may be or the issues facing voters, but because  the most important election of our lifetime is always the “next election.” Voting is a privilege that every  United States citizen has and a responsibility every eligible voter should take seriously. You are  responsible for choosing your leaders, your policies, and your future, no matter if it is a Presidential  election or your local school bond election.

The North Dakota Office of the Secretary of State has the awesome responsibility of overseeing our  state’s election process in concert with 53 counties conducting the election. County auditors are  responsible for finding election workers and securing polling locations, and these local election officials  are the boots on the ground in your communities during the voting process. Every county conducts its  elections within the confines of North Dakota law and under a uniform election system. Uniformity  ensures that every county is using the same election equipment and following the same security  processes. These processes include security measures, such as:

• Ballot handling equipment never being connected to the internet and having no component for  such a connection,
• Requiring all eligible voters have a valid form of North Dakota identification before they can  vote,
• Exclusively using paper ballots;
• Ensuring no one is ever mailed a ballot unless 1) they first request one through an absentee  ballot application process and 2) their identification is proven, and
• Never using private money in the administration of a North Dakota election – it is illegal under  state law.

It is important to note that North Dakota’s election laws are different than the other states. In fact,  there are 50 different states with 50 different sets of election laws. What you may see or hear in  another state may not, and probably is not applicable to a North Dakota election. North Dakota is the  only state without voter registration, and our robust voter ID law ensures that only North Dakota  residents who are 18 years old or older and are United States citizens are participating in our elections. North Dakota‘s Central Voter File also ensures that one person = one vote, meaning every voter that is  checked in at a polling location or returns an absentee ballot is marked as voted which is immediately  shared with counties and polling locations across the State, prohibiting that voter from voting again in  that election.

North Dakota has been proactive in enacting common-sense election integrity safeguards long before  “election integrity” was cool. My predecessor, Secretary of State Al Jaeger, implemented the use of  uniform election equipment across all 53 counties. The North Dakota Legislature has passed election  laws to ensure the security and accuracy of our elections, and through those protections and provisions,  voting in North Dakota remains accessible and secure.

Without North Dakotans running North Dakota elections, the ability to participate in democracy would  not be possible. These 3,000+ election workers are made up of your family, friends, and neighbors, all in  an effort to assist in providing you the opportunity to exercise your right to vote and have your voice  heard. Please thank your local election workers for their efforts.

Start making your plan now for how you will cast your ballot:

• Absentee voting begins in North Dakota on September 26.
• In-person early voting can begin two weeks prior to Election Day if your county chooses to offer  this option. and,
• November 5th is Election Day.

Visit vote.nd.gov to request an absentee ballot application, explore your polling location options, check  if your county offers early voting, and access a sample ballot.

Make a plan to vote! And remember, this is the most important election of your lifetime.

Michael Howe

North Dakota Secretary of State