# Title 12.1 — Criminal Code

## Chapter 12.1-14 — Official Oppression - Elections - Civil Rights

### § 12.1-14-01. Official oppression.

A person acting or purporting to act in an official capacity or taking advantage of such actual
or purported capacity is guilty of a class A misdemeanor if, knowing that his conduct is illegal,
he:
1. Subjects another to arrest, detention, search, seizure, mistreatment, dispossession,
assessment, lien, or other infringement of personal or property rights; or
2. Denies or impedes another in the exercise or enjoyment of any right, privilege, power,
or immunity.
### § 12.1-14-02. Interference with elections.

A person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor if, whether or not acting under color of law, the
person, by force or threat of force or by economic coercion, intentionally:
1. Injures, intimidates, or interferes with another because the other individual is or has
been voting for any candidate or issue or qualifying to vote, qualifying or campaigning
as a candidate for elective office, or qualifying or acting as an election official or an
election observer, in any primary, special, or general election.
2. Injures, intimidates, or interferes with another in order to prevent that individual or any
other individual from voting for any candidate or issue or qualifying to vote, qualifying
or campaigning as a candidate for elective office, or qualifying or acting as an election
official or an election observer, in any primary, special, or general election.
### § 12.1-14-03. Safeguarding elections.

A person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor if, in connection with any election, he:
1. Makes or induces any false voting registration;
2. Offers, gives, or agrees to give a thing of pecuniary value to another as consideration
for the recipient's voting or withholding his vote or voting for or against any candidate
or issue or for such conduct by another;
3. Solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept a thing of pecuniary value as consideration for
conduct prohibited under subsection 1 or 2; or
4. Otherwise obstructs or interferes with the lawful conduct of such election or
registration therefor.
As used in this section, "thing of pecuniary value" shall include alcoholic beverages, by the drink
or in any other container.
### § 12.1-14-04. Discrimination in public places.

A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if, whether or not acting under color of law, he,
by force, or threat of force or by economic coercion, intentionally:
1. Injures, intimidates, or interferes with another because of his sex, race, color, religion,
or national origin and because he is or has been exercising or attempting to exercise
his right to full and equal enjoyment of any facility open to the public.
2. Injures, intimidates, or interferes with another because of his sex, race, color, religion,
or national origin in order to intimidate him or any other person from exercising or
attempting to exercise his right to full and equal enjoyment of any facility open to the
public.
### § 12.1-14-05. Preventing exercise of civil rights - Hindering or preventing another aiding

third person to exercise civil rights.
A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if, whether or not acting under color of law, he,
by force or threat of force or by economic coercion, intentionally:
1. Injures, intimidates, or interferes with another because he is or is about to exercise his
civil rights, or because he has exercised his civil rights.
2. Intimidates or prevents another from aiding a third person to exercise his civil rights.
