County canvassing board may subpoena members of election board to correct errors - Failure to obey subpoena is a contempt
N.D. Cent. Code § 16.1-15-20
in effect16.1-15-20. County canvassing board may subpoena members of election board to
correct errors - Failure to obey subpoena is a contempt.
When the returns of the election board officers are made to the county canvassing board, if
any provision of law relative to the duties of the election board officers has not been complied
with by the officers and the provision of law is capable of correction by the election board, the
county canvassing board may issue subpoenas to the election board officers of the polling place
in which the defect occurs. The subpoenas must require the election board officers to appear as
soon as possible before the county canvassing board to correct any omission or mistake
according to the facts. The amended or corrected returns then must be acted upon by the
board. If any election board officer, subpoenaed as provided in this section, neglects or refuses
to obey the subpoena, the individual so neglecting or refusing must be arrested upon a bench
warrant issued out of the office of the clerk of the district court in the county where the
proceedings occur. The individual arrested must be brought before the county canvassing board
and shall make the necessary correction. A refusal on the part of an election board officer to
make a correction must be deemed a contempt of the district court.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t16-1c15.pdf#nameddest=16p1-15-20Fetched: 10/16/2026