It's vital to know how your state legislature operates in order to hold your elected officials accountable in an effective manner. 

Below you will find a comprehensive infographic that illustrates just how you can make your voice heard and create effective change in your communities. 

Want your own copy of our official infographic to keep on hand? Scroll to download.

Heightened political awareness and a sense of urgency on both sides of the political aisle spiked a greater than usual voter participation in the 2018 election.

More than 329,000 North Dakotans turned out to vote last month – an all-time high for a midterm election. This year’s turnout was greater than the previous midterm record set in 2014 when more than 255,000 North Dakotans cast their ballots, according to the North Dakota Secretary of State’s website.

But now that the election is complete and the “Monday morning quarterbacking” regarding the outcomes and implications is over, the big question for many is, “Now what?”

Our democracy depends on people staying engaged after Election Day. With the North Dakota legislative session beginning in just a few weeks, we all still have a job to do.

Decisions made during the biennial sessions of the North Dakota Legislature have a deep and lasting impact on our state’s people and communities. As new laws are created and others repealed or written, it’s important to ensure that these changes preserve and strengthen our constitutional rights.

The ACLU of North Dakota monitors a wide range of issues at the legislature. Our education, organizing and lobbying efforts are aimed at informing both lawmakers and the public about the civil rights and civil liberties implications of the bills proposed by our elected officials.

But we can’t do it alone. There are countless ways to create positive change during the North Dakota legislative session. One tried and true way is contacting your elected officials.

We know people are often hesitant to get involved in the political process. People believe legislators only listen to the wealthy elite, they don’t think legislation will affect their lives directly, or they don’t understand how the process works. In fact, a 2017 report by the National Conference on Citizenship found that fewer Americans believe they have a say in government or that public officials actually care about what they think.

That’s not true. The single most important factor in influencing how a legislator votes on a bill has always been constituent support. And since very few people take the time to contact their legislators, one visit, one phone call, or one letter from a constituent speaks volumes. Give it a try!

The North Dakota Legislature’s website lists each legislator’s contact information so you can call, write or email them to express your support or opposition to an issue area or specific piece of legislation. Elected officials use email and letters as a way to measure public opinion in their district. Phone calls are especially useful when a vote has been scheduled and there isn’t time for a letter. You can also request a meeting with your legislator.

Even if your legislator is supportive of your issues, you should still call, visit, or write, since they will hear the other side, too. Elected officials need to hear how important an issue is from their constituents.

Whatever you do, remember this: Your voice matters. Your elected officials are North Dakotans, just like you. Everyone has the right to participate in the government process, and we need to hold our elected officials accountable.

FOR EXAMPLE:

• Problem: Legislators have introduced a bill that would prevent transgender high school students from using the restroom representative of the gender they identify. There is increasing intolerance in North Dakota against LGBT people, and legislators think they are protecting students by introducing this bill.

• Solution: Win hearts and mind so that people understand how discriminatory this bill is. Get people to write to their legislators and understand that this bill impacts transgender students in negative way.

• Action: Urge legislators to vote NO on this bill. Tell legislators you want them to spend time on things that matter to actual students instead of bill that only contribute to a hostile environment.

Sign it and Send it!

Make sure to sign your full name, and include your address and phone number. Newspapers will not print anonymous letters. Submit these letters to The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, Bismarck Tribune, Grand Forks Herald, or the local newspaper in your community. 

Example letter 1:

“I’m a parent of a 6-year-old, and I’m concerned about the treatment transgender students are receiving from legislators in North Dakota. I just moved to Fargo from Wyoming and I’ve been welcomed by this sweet city with open arms. I love it here. I want to raise my family here.  That's why I was frustrated and saddened to hear that North Dakota lawmakers had proposed a bill that would threaten the safety of high school students — and the safety of my future high school student.

I want to believe that I live in a state where my child would be free to go to the bathroom. A state where my child won’t be bullied by adult legislators. A place where my child’s best interests are paramount.

This bill is an extreme and mean-spirited attack on students who are already a vulnerable population. We’ve all been high school students at some point in our lives, so I ask that you think back to that time and what it was like to be a student. It was difficult and awkward at times, right? Let’s support students by ensuring they are given a quality education instead of monitoring bathroom use."

Example letter 2:

"I think that religious freedom is very important, but it shouldn’t give people the right to discriminate against others. The RFRA bill that some legislators have proposed goes against the Christian values I hold so dear. I love my neighbors and I want to believe that in 2016, we are better than this. If passed this bill is going to open up the floodgates and will give people permission to use religion as a reason to discriminate against any person. I for one am disgusted by this bill and so many others I’ve seen introduced this year. Passing a harmful and blatently discriminatory bill goes against the values of North Dakotans. I urge my legislators to vote NO on HB 1111 and for my fellow North Dakotans to write and call their legislators so they can hear from the actual people they represent.”

Example letter 3:

“As a North Dakotan and descent of immigrants, I am concerned about SB 1234, a bill being considered in Bismarck that targets immigrants for discrimination. My grandparents came to North Dakota from Denmark in the mid-1800s. Grandpa Jorgen and his wife, Christie, moved to North Dakota to start a better life for their families. They raised four children and were well-respected by their peers. Both parents cared deeply for their family and the community of Minot. Three generations later, my parents live in that very house built in the mid-1800s and continue to be strong advocates of building community, providing for others, and thriving in their community. 

Our story is not unique. Immigrants continue to contribute to and revive communities across our state. When I moved back to Fargo in 2012, I was overwhelmed by the support of our communities in this area. However, this week our state legislature began to chip away at what I thought was a supportive and welcoming community. SB 1234 is poised to negatively impact immigrant and refugee North Dakotans and our state as a whole.

This is heartbreaking and runs against everything our state is based on. I ask my friends, neighbors, and lawmakers to consider your heritage and think about how families like mine and yours would have been negatively affected by this hurtful legislation and veto this bill. Immigrants and refugees are our friends and neighbors. They deserve to be embraced as a part of the community and defended from these mean-spirited legislative attacks."