Proposed North Dakota Window Tint Law Changes Fail to Reach Ballot

Petition drive falls short of required signatures to put measure before voters

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A proposal to change North Dakota's window tinting laws will not be placed on the June ballot after the sponsoring committee failed to gather the required minimum of 15,000 signatures. Jeremy Schaeffer, the chairperson of the committee, said they were 4,000 signatures short of the threshold.

Why it matters

The proposed changes would have allowed for more flexibility in the level of window tint and the colors or designs that could be applied, giving North Dakota drivers more options. The failure to get the measure on the ballot means the state's current window tint laws will remain in effect.

The details

The proposed measure would have allowed window tint light emittance 'to be at any level an individual chooses it to be for the windshield, as well as front and rear windows. It also would have allowed for any color or transparent design to be applied to any of the windows.' Despite having a Facebook page for the petition that grew to 760 followers, the committee was unable to gather the required 15,000 signatures to put the issue before voters.

  • The petition drive was underway in early 2026, with the goal of getting the measure on the June 2026 ballot.
  • The deadline to submit the required 15,000 signatures passed in February 2026 without the committee reaching the threshold.

The players

Jeremy Schaeffer

The chairperson of the sponsoring committee that was pushing for the changes to North Dakota's window tinting laws.

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What they’re saying

“We were 4,000 signatures short of the required minimum amount so it will not be on the ballot.”

— Jeremy Schaeffer, Chairperson of sponsoring committee (Flag Family News)

What’s next

Schaeffer indicated he plans to try again in the future with the knowledge gained from this unsuccessful petition drive.

The takeaway

The failure to get the window tint law changes on the ballot in North Dakota highlights the challenges of citizen-led initiatives to change state laws, even when there appears to be public support for the proposed changes.