North Dakota Gov. Armstrong Will Vote No on Free School Meals in November
North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced on July 16, 2026, that he will vote against Measure 2, a constitutional ballot measure on the November ballot that would provide free school meals to all K-12 students in the state.
Armstrong’s objection is structural. Enshrining the program in the state constitution would mandate spending before the 2027 Legislature ever convenes, regardless of oil prices, crop yields, or any other budget pressure the state faces.
“No matter what happens in the future of North Dakota’s budget, you could have $7 soybeans, you could have $12 oil, and this money comes off before anything else is spent.”
Gov. Kelly Armstrong, interview with the North Dakota Monitor, July 16, 2026
The Department of Public Instruction’s fiscal note puts the biennial cost between $124.3 million and $134.3 million. Armstrong said he opposes all constitutionally mandated spending on principle, because it signals a single item outranks everything else in the budget. He is also asking state agencies to hold or reduce budgets by 3% to 10% ahead of the 2027 session.
The Legislature has had multiple chances to pass free school meals and refused each time. Lawmakers voted down a school meals bill during a special session, which is why advocates took the issue directly to voters.
Amy Jacobson of the Together for School Meals Coalition said Armstrong’s opposition changes nothing. “The state has had several opportunities to pass school meals for all kids at no cost and it’s been defeated every time and that’s why we have the ballot measure process,” Jacobson said.
Measure 2 includes a funding backstop. If lawmakers do not allocate the money, the program draws from the state’s Legacy Earnings Fund. That provision was designed to prevent the Legislature from simply ignoring a constitutional directive.
Armstrong acknowledged that polling taken before the special session showed public support for school meals, though he said he does not know whether that support held after lawmakers voted the bill down. He noted he holds one vote, and North Dakotans will make the final call.
What You Can Do Now
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Verify your North Dakota voter registration at vote.org before the state’s registration deadline and mark your ballot Yes on Measure 2 in November. Every vote on a constitutional measure counts toward the majority threshold required to pass.
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Contact the Together for School Meals Coalition at togetherschoolmealsnd.com to volunteer for canvassing or phone banking ahead of the November election. Ballot measures succeed or fail on turnout, and the campaign is actively recruiting volunteers.
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Call your North Dakota state legislators at (701) 328-2916 and tell them to support school meal funding in the 2027 session as an alternative or supplement to Measure 2. Ask them to commit to a floor vote if Measure 2 passes.
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Share the DPI fiscal note with voters in your network. Armstrong’s cost figure of “nearly $140 million” is slightly above the official $124.3–$134.3 million biennial estimate. Accurate numbers matter when voters weigh budget arguments.
Sources
North Dakota Monitor: Gov. Armstrong to Vote Against School Meals Ballot Measure in November North Dakota Monitor: Lawmakers Adopt Cost Estimate for School Meal Ballot Measure Together for School Meals Coalition: Measure 2 Campaign Site North Dakota Legislative Assembly: Legacy Earnings Fund Overview