South Dakota cities may now adopt ranked-choice voting for their local elections if they choose to do so through a municipal ordinance. Under this system, voters rank candidates by preference, and if no candidate wins an outright majority on the first count, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and those votes redistributed based on voters' next choices, repeating until someone achieves a majority. This gives municipalities the option to use ranked-choice voting instead of the current plurality voting system, but doesn't require them to do so.
This bill does not directly amend codified state law.
Local Government Deferred to the 41st legislative day Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 1.
Local Government Do Pass
Local Government Scheduled for hearing
First read in Senate and referred to Senate Local Government S.J. 95
Reynold Nesiba
Prime sponsor · Sen.
D
Cosponsors
Local Government — Deferred to the 41st legislative day