North Dakota’s Statehood Questioned

North Dakota’s statehood has been called into question by an 82-year-old Grand Forks man who pointed out a flaw in the state’s Constitution, reports Valley News Live.

But John Rolczynski said it has taken 16 years for anyone to listen. In 2012, voters will decide whether to pass a bill introduced by state Sen. Tim Mathern that fixes the problem.

The central issue of the state's 1889 Constitution is the way it defines its executive branch, which puts it in conflict with the U.S. Constitution and means that North Dakota might always have been merely a territory.