North Dakota Representative Corey Mock has introduced HB 1417, which makes it easier for small qualified parties to nominate candidates for the legislature, and also makes it easier for them to remain on the ballot.

The existing law requires a party to attract approximately 10% to 15% of all the primary voters to choose that party’s primary ballot. If that doesn’t happen, that party can’t nominate anyone for the legislature. Because of this law, only the Democratic and Republican Parties have had any legislative nominees since 1976. The bill deletes this primary vote test. No other state has such a ballot access hurdle for party nominees.

The bill also lowers the vote test for a party to remain on the ballot from 5% for certain statewide offices, to 2%.

Mock is a Democrat. The bill has a Democratic co-sponsor and four Republican co-sponsors. The Democratic co-sponsor is Senator Erin Oban. The Republican co-sponsors are Senator Jordan Kannianen, and Representatives Christopher Olson, Luke Simons, and Nathan Toman.