Fact Brief

No. While North Dakota’s voter turnout is often below the national average, it does not rank lowest in the country.  In the 2022 midterm election, turnout in North Dakota was 41.7 percent compared to a national average of 46.2 percent. In the 2024 presidential election, 63.1

Yes. Private, or peer-to-peer, gun sales are legal in North Dakota. The state does not require background checks, permits, or waiting periods for private transfers between individuals who are North Dakota residents, as long as both parties are legally allowed to own firearms. Federal law prohibits sales to certain groups,

Yes. Data centers are among the most electricity-intensive types of development, and their presence increases demand on local and regional grids. The Congressional Research Service reports that U.S. data centers consumed about 176 terawatt-hours in 2023, roughly 4.4% of national electricity use, with projections that demand could double

No. Closed-loop geothermal cooling systems are engineered to minimize water usage. These systems circulate sealed fluid (typically water or a water-antifreeze mix) through buried pipes or geothermal heat pump loops. The same fluid continuously transfers heat between the ground and the data center without evaporation or release. Only the initial

No. North Dakota law prohibits businesses and individuals from installing cameras in restrooms or other places where people reasonably expect privacy. Under North Dakota Century Code § 12.1-20-12.2, it is a crime to record, photograph, observe or broadcast someone in a bathroom, hotel room, dressing room, locker room, tanning

No. North Dakota does not authorize automated traffic enforcement using speed or red-light cameras. Citations must be issued by a law enforcement officer who personally observes the violation and halts the driver. The North Dakota Century Code (§ 39-07-07) specifies that an officer “shall issue a traffic citation” to an individual