SB101

The amendment rewrites the presidential elector vacancy procedures to require the political party chairperson to provide a list of up to three alternative candidates for the remaining electors to vote on, rather than unilaterally selecting a replacement, and clarifies procedural language throughout regarding notification timelines and the Governor's role in tie-breaking scenarios. This NARROWS the bill by reducing the party chairperson's unilateral appointment power and placing greater control in the hands of sitting electors.

This amendment modernizes the language of South Dakota's presidential elector statutes by replacing outdated phrasing with clearer, contemporary language—for example, changing "before the hour of eleven o'clock in the morning" to "before eleven a.m. central time"—while also clarifying the procedures for filling vacant elector positions and specifying that the secretary of state can act when the Governor is absent. The changes STRENGTHEN the bill by making the elector selection process more explicit and functional, particularly in scenarios where multiple electors fail to appear.