1. United States
2. N.D.
3. Letter

The passage of this bill prohibiting approval voting in Fargo represents an overreach by the state government and infringes on the rights of local citizens to choose their own election methods. Approval voting was adopted through a citizen ballot initiative, reflecting the will of Fargo's voters. Rep. Koppelman's claim that approval voting favors "vanilla" candidates appears to be a coded way of suggesting the system does not allow more extreme candidates to prevail. However, this could be viewed as a positive aspect, ensuring that elected officials have broader appeal and represent the majority rather than fringe interests. The actions to undo a locally-approved election reform raise concerns about the motivations behind this law and whether it truly upholds democratic principles. Overriding the choice of Fargo's citizens calls into question the commitment to empowering voters and respecting local control.