ND high court orders term-limits measure on November ballot

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Supreme Court has ordered a ballot measure asking whether voters want term limits on the governor and legislators should be placed on the November ballot.

Supporters of the measure asked the high court to compel a vote after Secretary of State Al Jaeger rejected the measure in March. Jaeger cited alleged irregularities including handwriting discrepancies and bonuses paid to petition circulators per signature.

The Bismarck Tribune reported the Supreme Court found that Jaeger “misapplied the law” when he determined that a pattern of notary violations on some petitions justified invalidating all the petitions sworn before the same notary.

The high court reversed a state district court judge who last month found that Jaeger's rejection of the measure was done properly.

Backers of the petition submitted more than 46,000 signatures, and Jaeger's rejection of about 29,000 left them far short of the number needed to get on the ballot.

Jaeger had referred the matter to the attorney general's office for investigation of possible fraud, and Attorney General Drew Wrigley turned the matter over to the Ward County prosecutor. Wrigley planned a news conference on the matter later Wednesday.