Constitutional amendment to set aside a portion of oil taxes for parks, clean water and wildlife habitat.

On Monday, August 4, the Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Committee filed over 41,000 signatures with the North Dakota Secretary of State in order to place the our initiative on the November ballot. The Secretary of State has until September 8 to review the signatures and certify the measure of the ballot. They only need 25,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot so they’re absolutely confident the Secretary of State will qualify the measure.

The filing of the signatures represents a significant accomplishment in several ways. Over the last 10 months they have put together a really good staff that has built a volunteer network across North Dakota. Over 500 people volunteered their time to help collect signatures. They have also put in place a voter file that allows them to build everyone who signed petitions into a data base that will aid their get out the vote effort this fall. Finally, even as they were collecting signatures and building a volunteer network they have been fundraising for the fall campaign. They are confident they can pivot to a vigorous and effective campaign that will begin as soon as the Secretary of State certifies the measure for the ballot.

Below are links to some of the news coverage received in filing the signatures.

Conservation measure supporters submit signatures

Dave Thompson, Prairie Public, 8/4/2014

Conservation petitions turned in

Nick Smith, Bismarck Tribune, 8/4/2014

Education groups join push against outdoor fund

Helmut Schmidt, 8/5/2014

Jaeger receives support for Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Fund

KFYR (video), 8/4/2014

North Dakotans come together in support of Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks

Outdoor Wire, 8/5/2014

Let’s vote on conservation initiative