Nov. 5, Election Day, is an important date for South Dakota. Almost as important is Monday, Oct. 21. That’s the last day that eligible South Dakotans can register to vote in this election.
The importance of this election can’t be overstated. Voters will make decisions on ballot issues that will have a direct impact on the way they live their lives.
Like many states, South Dakota will be voting on an abortion measure this year. Amendment G will, depending on who you listen to, restore the rights women lost when Roe v. Wade was overturned or subject the unborn to a veritable wild west of abortion lawlessness. Matters of such important morality aren’t often on the ballot and voters owe it to themselves, and to their state, to mark their ballots on Amendment G.
Another ballot issue with wide-ranging ramifications is Initiated Measure 28, which is intended to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries. While a smaller grocery bill would be welcomed by families, that has to be weighed against the ability of the state budget to absorb another sales tax cut. The Legislature cut the state sales tax in 2023 from 4.5% to 4.2% with a sunset in 2027. That left an estimated $100 million shortfall in state revenue. Estimates show that eliminating the state sales tax on groceries would mean that the state budget would do without another $134 million, at the least.
Also at issue is the way the initiated measure is written, with backers saying it’s narrowly focused on groceries and critics saying it could eliminate the sales tax on many more items that are consumed by humans, creating an even larger hole in the state budget.
Constitutional Amendment H would make a big change to the way South Dakotans vote, by instituting a single primary ballot that would include all candidates for governor, the state Legislature, U.S. House and Senate and county offices. The top two candidates to emerge from the primary, regardless of party, would move on to the November election. (In the case of the State House, where districts elect two members, the top four candidates would move on to the general election.)
Backers see the amendment as a way to allow everyone who pays for a primary to be able to take part in it. Both major political parties in the state have come out against Amendment H.
Republican Party officials are adamant about choosing their own candidates, and Democratic Party officials foresee a general election ballot that doesn’t include any Democrats.
Another major change for South Dakota is wrapped up in Initiated Measure 29 which would legalize a limited form of adult recreational use, possession and distribution of marijuana. Voters will need to decide if passage of IM 29 will lead to the law enforcement nightmare its critics claim, or the freedom and savings from fewer drug prosecutions that its backers foresee.
Voters also need to decide the fate of Referred Law 21. Passed by the last legislative session as a Landowner Bill of Rights, the law has been referred to a vote of the people by critics who say it tramples on their rights. The law governing carbon dioxide pipelines sets standards for tax relief for landowners and compensation for counties while setting specifications for the building of the pipelines. Critics say it doesn’t really protect landowners or individual property rights.
No matter the fate of Referred Law 21, chances are those property rights will be a continuing topic of discussion in the Legislature. Many of the Republican lawmakers who voted for the law were defeated in the primary by opponents who focused on the Landowner Bill of Rights as their main issue.
With a handful of seasoned lawmakers choosing not to run for reelection in 2024 and the loss of experienced lawmakers in the primary, the Legislature is looking at a possible influx of new, conservative lawmakers. That means enlarging an ultra-conservative wing of the Republican Party that has often acted as if it is more interested in agitation than legislation.
That’s why it’s important for voters to not only take a hard look at the ballot issues, but also the candidates who are on this year’s ballot. Voters need to decide if those candidates are just one-issue wonders or thoughtful candidates who will be able to legislate on a wide range of issues.
Make no mistake, from the ballot issues to the candidates, this year’s election is of extreme importance. If you’re not registered to vote, find your local county auditor’s office and sign up. Then, on Election Day, show up to cast your ballot. Good citizenship takes some effort, but it’s worth it.
