History
The father of the North Dakota initiative process was L. A. Ueland of
Edgeley, a state legislator who served on the executive committee of the
National Direct Legislation League from its founding in 1896. If Ueland was
the father of the process, however, Katherine King of McKenzie was the
mother. Mrs. King, married to Royal V. King, in 1902 organized a state
chapter of the League. Mrs. King’s League won passage of Ueland’s I&R
bill through both houses of the legislature in 1907, despite opposition from