====== N.D. Const. art. I, § 2 — Research ======

**Power inherent in the people.** Text of the section: [[.:start|current and prior versions]].

Every citing reference in the corpus: **6** court opinions and **0** Attorney General opinions. Counts include the section's pre-1981 designation (§ 2), era-gated by the renumbering crosswalk.

//Generated from the citation graph of the validated corpus. Treatment groupings (construing / citing / recital) are heuristic reading aids, not editorial judgments — read the opinion before relying on any signal.//

===== Construing and quoting decisions (6) =====

  * State ex rel. Twichell v. Hall, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6850811/state-ex-rel-twichel-v-hall/|1918 ND 117]] (1918, Grace, J.)  ·  quotes the provision
    * //“…%%ution, and is inoperative. We will give thorough consideration and analysis to each objection to the legality of Amendment 16, and incidentally Amendment 15, relative to the power of the people to initiate laws. Before doing so, we wish to direct attention to section 2 of our Constitution, which is as follows: "All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for the protection, security and benefit of the people, and they have a right to alter or reform the sam%%…”//
  * Access Independent Health Services, Inc., d/b/a Red River Women's Clinic. et al. v. Wrigley, et al., [[https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/opinions/211159|2025 ND 199]] (2025, per curiam)  ·  quotes the provision
    * //¶ 44: “…%%$10,000 and imprisoned for five years. N.D.C.C. § 12.1-32-01(4). Along with the obvious hardships that accompany a conviction and sentencing for the commission of a felony, the plaintiffs face the prospect of losing democratic rights. See N.D. Const. art. II, § 2 (felons prohibited from voting); N.D.C.C. § 12.1-33-01 (felons prohibited from running for or holding public office). They also face the prospect of losing their medical license, a certification they presumably obtained%%…”//
  * State ex rel. Byerley v. State Board of Canvassers, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6850777/state-ex-rel-byerley-v-state-board-of-canvassers/|1919 ND 17]] (1919, Birdzell, J.)  ·  quotes the provision
    * //“…%%g where the Legislature is acting as the agent of the sovereign power, rather than in its legislative capacity (as narrowly defined) nevertheless a different conception can readily be applied when the people themselves are proceeding in their sovereign power. Section 2 of the Constitution provides: "All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for the protection, security and benefit of the people, and they have a right to alter or reform the same whenever t%%…”//
  * State ex rel. Linde, Atty. Gen. v. Taylor, State Commissioner of Insurance, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6849887/state-ex-rel-linde-v-taylor/|1916 ND 23]] (1916, Christianson, J.)  ·  quotes the provision
    * //“…%%only in the sense of the policy of the law, not in the sense of mere judicial notions as to what is best for the public good." "All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for the protection, security and benefit of the people." Section 2, Const. N. D. The executive, legislative, and judicial departments were created by the people through their Constitution to exercise the powers and perform the duties expressly or by necessary implication conferred or%%…”//
  * State ex rel. Sathre, Atty. Gen., v. Moodie, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/3933450/state-ex-rel-sathre-v-moodie/|1935 ND 5]] (1935, Burke, J.)  ·  quotes the provision
    * //“…%%he required qualifications. The Lieutenant Governor, elected at the same election, does possess the required qualifications. He has been chosen by the people to act as Governor in event the Governor fails to qualify, or is unable to act because of disability. Section 2 of the Constitution states: "Government is instituted for the protection, security and benefit of the people." Clearly the interests of those who hold office or seek authority are of minor importance when considered in%%…”//
  * State ex rel. Brunette v. Sutton, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/3934494/state-ex-rel-brunette-v-sutton/|1942 ND 14]] (1942, Burke, J.)  ·  quotes the provision
    * //“…%%med, on some day within one month therefrom, to determine whether such territory shall be an incorporated village." The theory on which our system of government is predicated is that all political power is inherent in the people. Constitution of North Dakota, Section 2. Consistent with this thought, in the organization of villages the inhabitants of the territory affected are clothed with the right to say whether there shall be an incorporation and what territory shall be included the%%…”//

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