North Dakota Democratic-Nonpartisan League Party

North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party
Chairperson	Bob Valeu
Senate leader	Mac Schneider
House leader	Kenton Onstad
Founded	1956 (1956)
Headquarters	Kennedy Center 1902 East Divide Ave Bismarck, ND 58501
Ideology	Liberalism Progressivism Social liberalism
National affiliation	Democratic Party
Colors	Blue
Seats in the Upper House	16 / 47
Seats in the Lower House	23 / 94
Website
www.demnpl.com
Politics of North Dakota Political parties

The North Dakota Democratic-Nonpartisan League Party (abbreviated Democratic-NPL, Dem-NPL) is the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party of the United States. This political organization is the outcome of a merger of two parties; the state previously had a three-party political system.

History

The North Dakota Democratic-Nonpartisan League Party has roots in the

• North Dakota Democratic-NPL website

External links

References

• Politics of North Dakota
• North Dakota Republican Party – North Dakota affiliate of the Republican Party
• Political party strength in North Dakota

See also

• 1987-1992 Kent Conrad
• 1992-2011 Byron Dorgan

Class III

• 1960-1992 Quentin N. Burdick
• 1992 Jocelyn Burdick
• 1992–2013 Kent Conrad
• 2013-present Heidi Heitkamp

Class I

U.S. Senate history

• 1981-1993 Byron Dorgan
• 1993-2011 Earl Pomeroy

At-large Representative

• 1965–1967 Rolland W. Redlin
• 1971–1973 Arthur A. Link

2nd congressional district

• 1959–1961 Quentin N. Burdick

1st congressional district

Senator Heidi Heitkamp

U.S. House of Representatives

The 12 members of the State Senate are as follows:^[7]

Members of the State Senate

The 25 members are as follows:^[6]

The Democratic-NPL Party fully represents 9 of North Dakota's 47 legislative districts in the House of Representatives with two members and shares representation with the Republicans in 7 additional districts, for a total of 25 Democratic-NPL house members.

Members of the State House

Electoral history

The Bank of North Dakota was created to address market failures associated with monopoly power among large financial and business institutions in the early twentieth century. This market power meant that small farming operations had inadequate access to credit. One of the goals of the Nonpartisan League was to remedy limited access to credit by establishing this institution. A measure of the public good brought about by the Bank's establishment that still stands today is what some have identified as the Bank's role in reducing the impact of economic recession. The public-private relationship establishes roles assigned according to what each sector does best, allowing the mutual benefit of public and private banks balancing out inequality and building equality, thus creating an economic safety net for North Dakota citizens. These early roots of the Democratic-Nonpartisan League party have been celebrated for establishing a foundation that rights the state in times of national crisis and provides economic security to generations of the state's farmers.

Economists are both impressed by and speculative of the reasons for the state's resiliency with respect to recent economic hardships most governments and citizens are experiencing. The Nonpartisan League laid a foundation of enriched public ownership and responsibility in such institutions as a state bank. One study has drawn conclusions that publicly operated institutions such as the state bank have helped North Dakota weather these economic storms.^[5]

North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate of all 50 states, for a variety of reasons. Most important is the variable of population. North Dakota citizens number 672,591, ranking third-smallest in population in the United States. A small migration of unemployed people from other parts of the United States are headed to North Dakota according to recent studies.^[3] A USA Today study points out some of the state’s largest cities are growing even larger.^[4]

Recent events

Although the Democratic Party was still the minority, the number of Democrats in the state legislature increased greatly. Before the league moved into the Democratic Party, there were only five Democrats among the 162 members of both houses of the legislature in 1955. In 1957 the number grew to 28, 1959 the numbers continued to grow reaching 67, despite a drop to 62 members in 1961, nevertheless, for the first time in history, North Dakota was becoming a two-party state.^[1]

Two factions divided the traditionally liberal Nonpartisan League, on one side the insurgents on the other the old guard.^[1] Those that called themselves insurgents aligned liberally with pro-farmers’ union, pro-Taft–Hartley Act, creation of a minimum $1.25 an hour wage, and a graduated land tax on property worth $20,000 or more. Two months later in May 1956 the Democratic Convention accepted the Nonpartisan League’s candidates and adopted its platform. Republicans in North Dakota also united after conservative supports broke away from the league.^[1]

Toward a two-party system

Throughout the decades, the League pushed for the establishments of State operated mills, elevators, and banks. While the state was not entirely isolationist, just as it was neither entirely liberal nor entirely conservative. By 1952, the Non-partisan league was itself divided.

The determination of the league fulfilled their pledge and many of their planks passed legislation. The growth of far left sympathies was on the rise in North Dakota. The Socialists had considerable success. They brought in many outside speakers; Eugene V. Debs spoke at a large antiwar rally at Garrison in 1915. By 1912, there were 175 Socialist locals in the state. Rugby and Hillsboro elected Socialist mayors. The party had even established a weekly paper, the Iconoclast, in Minot, North Dakota.^[1]

Each was designed to remedy what the farmers conceived as an abuse, and each was to lower the cost of producing and marketing grain.^[2]

1. State Owned and Operated elevators, flour mills, and packing plants
2. State hail insurance
3. Exemption of farm improvements from taxation
4. Fair grain grades, based upon milling and baking values
5. Rural Credits at cost

The League Program was concise and to the point. It consisted of five planks, as follows:

The Nonpartisan League membership pledge was $2.50 a year, it later rose to nine dollars a year. The goals of the league were to use their collective best efforts to secure the nomination and election of men for office within the state. Men whom the investigations of the League have show by conviction, record and conduct do approve and will support legislation necessary for the purpose of saving millions of dollars each year for the farmer and were to be nominated and elected to carry out the league program.^[2]

The Method of Organization was simple, scientific and successful. Organizers carefully went forth in ever increasing numbers to sell the idea to the farmers and to get their support for the new movement. The league grew in leaps and bounds. The first members were pledged in February 1915. Before midsummer, there were 10,000 members, and before winter set-in, there were 26,000 names enrolled.^[2]

[2] When

Rise of the Non-Partisan League

North Dakota again proved its progressive sympathies in 1912, when the state held the first United States International Harvester. Because of such opposition, Woodrow Wilson carried the state in November. Republican Louis B. Hanna was elected governor in 1912 and 1914. Once in office, he and his legislative allies halted the creation of a state-operated grain elevator, which may have convinced progressives to unite in 1915.^[1]

The next nine years were marked by a series of revolutionary progressive successes, starting with John Burke's election as governor in 1906. Alexander McKenzie's conservative political machine controlled the Senate, but the House of Representatives was filled with progressive Democrats and Republicans, who managed to introduce many anti-railroad bills against staunch opposition by lobbyists. Many Progressive reforms and legislation were passed during this time, including a direct primary law, a joint resolution for a constitutional amendment for initiative and referendum power, a public library commission law, and laws to enforce prohibition. Subsequent years would see the end of Alexander McKenzie and his Republican political machine. By 1908, the first State electoral primaries solidified his retirement. That year the Republican Party, free from McKenzie's conservative influence, crafted an extremely progressive party platform. Progressive Democratic Governor John Burke remained in position with Republican votes.^[1]