Michael Howe (R)
Michael Howe, North Dakota’s Republican Secretary of State since 2023, has repeatedly worked to undermine Native voting rights and weaken protections for marginalized voters. He defended a redistricting map that a federal court found illegally diluted Native voting power and pushed to delay its correction. Despite claiming the state’s elections are “secure,” Howe has actively supported policies that suppress Indigenous representation.
Most notably, Howe backed a ruling from the 8th Circuit Court that stripped tribal nations of their ability to sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act – one of the few legal tools left to fight racial discrimination in voting. His record makes clear: Howe is more interested in preserving power than protecting democracy.