Group hoping to legalize recreational pot takes another swing

BISMARCK, N.D. – Supporters of amending North Dakota’s constitution to legalize recreational marijuana are taking another run at the issue, after failing to collect enough signatures to get it on the 2020 ballot.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger says the group filed the petition on Monday. If approved, backers would have one year to turn in at least 26,904 valid signatures to put it to a vote in November 2022.

Petition gatherers fell just shy of 24,000 signatures in last year’s effort. Organizers said they were hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Proponents of recreational marijuana have said they were encouraged by similar measures that were approved by voters in South Dakota and Montana in November.