On the first day of their organizational session, the most time-consuming job North Dakota lawmakers had was picking the desks where they will be spending the next four months.

The three-day session got under way Monday, with newly elected lawmakers taking their oath of office, and everyone getting packages of information about everything from stationery ordering to how to get into the Capitol after hours.

It ends Wednesday, when Gov. John Hoeven presents his budget recommendations to a joint session of the Legislature. The 2005 session begins its official business Jan. 4.

"Getting organized isn't the most exciting thing we'll be doing," said Rep. Rick Berg, R-Fargo, the House majority leader. Rep. Tom Brusegaard, R-Gilby, groused that the session was "fitting 11/2 days of work into three days."

Justice Dale Sandstrom gave the oath of office to newly elected House members, while Justice Carol Ronning Kapsner handled the job in the Senate.

House members elected Rep. Matt Klein, R-Minot, as their speaker, a job that entails presiding over the House's daily floor sessions. Monday's meeting included a moment of silence for Klein's predecessor, Rep. Janet Wentz, R-Minot, who died of colon cancer in September 2003.

Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple normally presides in the Senate, but senators choose a president pro tempore to handle the job when Dalrymple is absent.

Sen. Tony Grindberg, R-Fargo, was picked for the job Monday.

The most time-consuming task on the session's opening day was taking roll, which had to be done by calling each legislator's name individually - there are 47 senators and 94 representatives - and assigning desks on the House and Senate floor to legislators.

Once the electronic voting boards in the House and Senate are programmed, lawmakers will register their attendance with the punch of a button.

In the House, desks are assigned first to the Republican and Democratic floor leaders and their assistants. Subsequent choices go mostly according to seniority.

The last person to pick a desk, Rep. Stacey Horter, R-Grand Forks, settled into a chair near the House's back rail, a desirable locale. It was being saved for her, in part because it was occupied two years ago by Horter's predecessor, former Grand Forks GOP Rep. Amy Warnke. Warnke did not seek re-election.

"I'm excited," Horter said. "I'm surrounded by great people."