North Dakota voters rejected proposals to institute religious freedom law and repeal all property taxes during Tuesday’s primary election.

The defeats are a blow to conservative leaders, who had hoped North Dakota would become the first state to repeal property taxes and the 28th to implement a religious freedom law. Both proposals attracted strong opposition from moderate and progressive groups statewide, with fears that the religious freedom proposal could legalize child abuse, domestic violence, ritual animal sacrifice and the marriage of 12-year-old girls.

With 62 percent of the returns counted, the secretary of state’s office showed the religious freedom referendum — Measure 3 — losing 65 percent to 35 percent. Property tax repeal — Measure 2 — was being defeated 78 percent to 22 percent. The margins remained roughly the same through the counting.

The religious freedom referendum was pushed by the North Dakota Family Alliance and the state Catholic Conference, who said that the measure would protect religious groups from government mandates, including contraception insurance requirements. Opponents said the wording of the proposal could lead to people being able to say that child abuse, domestic violence, marriage to children and animal abuse were religious practices. Proponents dismissed those arguments and also said […]