Open Range - hosted by North Dakota legend Gary Emineth, is a captivating show that delves into a wide array of topics affecting North Dakota and America. Emineth, a distinguished figure in North Dakota's business and political circles, emphasizes the program's commitment to delivering a variety of viewpoints on a variety of issues, ranging from agriculture, government, and energy to sports, history, and people. The program celebrates the state’s values, culture, and its people. It serves as a platform for education and engagement, providing viewers with comprehensive insights into the issues that shape America. In a world filled with fleeting news snippets, Emineth is committed to offering an expanded conversation about what’s going on in the state. Describing himself as curious by nature, Emineth hopes to foster unity and understanding among Americans by creating an environment where diverse viewpoints are explored. Emineth also promises to counter misconceptions of the state to instill a newfound appreciation and love for North Dakota and its role in America
M Dane Waters and Paul Jacob discuss why to vote NO on Measure # 1 in North Dakota June 9th Primary
**Vote NO on Measure 1 – North Dakota's Initiative Process Is Under Attack | Open Range
In this episode of Open Range, host Gary Emineth sits down with two of the nation's leading experts on citizen initiatives — Dane Waters, founder of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at USC and president of Citizens in Charge, and Paul Jacob, a veteran advocate for term limits and direct democracy — to break down why North Dakota's Measure 1 on the June 9th primary ballot is a serious threat to voter rights.
On the surface, Measure 1 sounds reasonable — it promotes a "single subject" rule for citizen initiatives. But dig deeper, and a troubling double standard emerges: if passed, the Secretary of State would gain unchecked power to reject any citizen petition deemed to violate "single subject" — a term the measure never defines. Meanwhile, the legislature faces no such restriction on its own constitutional amendments.
Waters and Jacob argue this is a deliberate move by legislators who have long sought to weaken the initiative process — the very mechanism that gave North Dakotans term limits, ethics reform, and the ability to hold their government accountable. Without a clear definition of "single subject," virtually any meaningful reform could be blocked by a single appointed official, effectively ending citizen-led initiatives in North Dakota for good.
This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It's about preserving the people's fundamental right to self-determination and keeping a critical check on government power.
Key takeaways:
Measure 1 creates an undefined, arbitrary standard only applied to citizen petitions
It gives one person veto power over the entire initiative process
It's designed to protect legislators — not voters
Vote NO on Measure 1 on June 9th.
6 Jun 2026
Jerod Tufte Supreme Court Justice for North Dakota discusses his campaign for reelection
This week, host Gary Emineth sits down with Jerod Tufte, Justice on the North Dakota Supreme Court — and a candidate on the June 9th primary ballot.
Jerod shares his remarkable journey: growing up in Grand Forks and West Fargo, building a solo law practice in rural Kidder County, serving as a county prosecutor, deploying with the North Dakota Army National Guard on a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, and working in the governor's office before earning his seat on the Supreme Court in 2016.
We dig into how the court actually works — did you know North Dakota's five-member Supreme Court takes every single appeal filed in the state? That's 300–400 cases a year, with no ability to pick and choose like the U.S. Supreme Court. Jerod breaks it all down in plain language, from how cases move through the system to how justices write decisions the average citizen can actually understand.
We also talk judicial philosophy. Jerod believes judges should interpret the law as it was written — not update it from the bench. He's a strong voice for judicial transparency and personally rewrote the court's open records and open meetings rules to give North Dakotans greater access to their government.
And here's the thing about North Dakota — you might run into your Supreme Court justice at the grocery store. That accessibility matters, and Jerod embodies it.
Know who's on your ballot. Vote informed on June 9th.
🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode of Open Range — link in bio!
OpenRange #NorthDakota #NDPolitics #SupremeCourt #JerodTufte #June9Primary #NorthDakotaNice #KnowYourJudges
6 Jun 2026
Alex Balzs GOP Endorsed Candidate for U.S. Congress on his Campaign in ND
In this episode of Open Range, host Gary Emineth sits down with Alex Balzs, the Republican Party's endorsed candidate for North Dakota's U.S. Congressional seat ahead of the June 9th primary. Alex shares what he's heard from voters across the state after more than 30,000 miles of travel and 150-plus meetings — North Dakotans want representation, accessibility, and someone willing to show up. He addresses his opponent Julie Fedorchak's refusal to debate and makes the case for why the endorsed candidate is the right choice for the state. The conversation covers a wide range of issues important to North Dakotans: the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and how Alex's military background — serving across the Air Force, Navy, and Army — shapes his perspective on foreign policy and the War Powers Act; the need for an ag bill that prioritizes family farms over corporate farming; building infrastructure like fertilizer plants and refineries in North Dakota; immigration and cartel activity at the southern border; and the importance of limited federal government and protecting constitutional rights including the Second Amendment. Alex also speaks to unity within the Republican Party and his commitment to being accessible to all North Dakotans — not just party loyalists — if elected. Joining the conversation is Cindy Balzs, Alex's wife and campaign partner, who shares her unique background as a military dependent, multilinguist, and PhD candidate in organizational psychology — and what life on the campaign trail has been like alongside her husband. Vote in the North Dakota Republican primary on June 9th. Learn more at AlexForNorthDakota.com. #congress #northdakota #gop
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