Gov. Burgum issues executive order ensuring election integrity, timely results

NORTH DAKOTA — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum signs an executive order allowing county auditors to begin processing absentee ballots this coming Thursday.

The order is to ensure election workers have time to verify voter information and ensure election integrity and timely results on Election Day.

The North Dakota Secretary of State says more than 205,000 absentee and mail ballots for this election have been sent out.

That’s a 100% increase over the 2018 general election and a 130% increase over the 2016 general election.

Existing state law only allows election boards to process absentee and mail ballots beginning the day before and the day of Election Day.