Voters defeat free school meal ballot measure in North Dakota

(Nov. 3, 2026) – North Dakota voters have rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that sought to guarantee free school meals to all K-12 students in the state. Measure 2 was rejected by nearly 51% of voters, according to complete but unofficial results published by the North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office. The measure’s margin of defeat was about 2,900 votes. Measure 2 was a proposed amendment to the North Dakota constitution that would require schools to provide free lunch and breakfast to K-12 students and be reimbursed by the state for the expense. The initiated measure was placed on the ballot by a group of sponsoring citizens after the North Dakota Legislature rejected similar proposals in recent legislative sessions. “We obviously had wished tonight had ended differently, but we’re so incredibly proud of the work that we did together,” said Amy Jacobson, spokesperson for Together for School Meals.

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