Pharmacy vote Nov ballot

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – People who want to change North Dakota’s pharmacy ownership law have successfully pushed the matter to a public vote.
 
     Secretary of State Al Jaeger says his office has verified that submitted petitions have enough valid signatures to put the proposed measure on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.
 
     Jaeger says supporters collected 22,758 valid signatures, well more than the required 13,452.
 
     The proposed measure would change a requirement in North Dakota law that says majority ownership in pharmacies in the state must be held by a registered pharmacist. That could open the door for big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart to operate pharmacies in the state.
 
     A similar petition drive failed in 2010, a year after the 2009 Legislature defeated a bill that would have repealed the pharmacy ownership requirement.