North Dakota Petition Circulators Accused of Violations

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Opponents and supporters of a proposed North Dakota ballot measure dealing with conservation funding are at odds over the actions of people collecting petition signatures during Tuesday's primary election.

The dispute is over whether the signature collectors were too close to polling sites. State law prohibits people from soliciting voters within 100 feet of the entrance to a polling site.

The group North Dakotans for Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks says it did nothing wrong while gathering signatures to try to get the proposed measure on November's general election ballot.

The opposition group North Dakotans for Common Sense Conservation says it plans to file complaints with the secretary of state's office.

The proposal seeks to set aside more of the state's oil extraction taxes for conservation, education and recreation.