SB171 changes how South Dakota counties handle absentee ballots by requiring election officials to deliver lists of absentee voters to each precinct and update those lists throughout election day, and it adds new procedures for verifying absentee ballot envelopes. The bill also repeals one outdated absentee ballot statute and modifies several others to streamline the processing and counting of absentee ballots at the precinct level.
The amendment clarifies and streamlines absentee ballot processing procedures by removing a provision requiring ballots from precincts with ten or fewer absentee voters to be counted locally, instead directing all absentee ballots to a centralized counting board when one is created. This change NARROWS the bill's approach by eliminating a flexibility option and making the centralized absentee ballot counting process more uniform across jurisdictions.
The amendment clarifies and tightens the procedures for processing absentee ballots by changing references from "precinct" to "superintendent" of the voter's precinct, simplifying the comparison requirements for combined application/return envelopes, and shifting creation of absentee ballot precincts from a county option to discretion of "the person in charge of the election." These changes NARROW and REDIRECT the bill to streamline absentee ballot handling while centralizing decision-making authority with election administrators rather than counties.
Signed by the Governor S.J. 550
Delivered to the Governor S.J. 539
Signed by the Speaker H.J. 560
Signed by the President S.J. 525
Senate Concurred in amendments Passed, YEAS 32, NAYS 2. S.J. 511
House of Representatives Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 56, NAYS 11. H.J. 526
State Affairs Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 11, NAYS 0.
State Affairs Motion to amend
State Affairs Scheduled for hearing
House of Representatives Referred to House State Affairs H.J. 262
First Reading House H.J. 247
Senate Do Pass Passed, YEAS 32, NAYS 2. S.J. 201
State Affairs Do Pass Passed, YEAS 9, NAYS 0. S.J. 15
State Affairs Scheduled for hearing
First read in Senate and referred to Senate State Affairs S.J. 141
Prime sponsor · Rep.
R
Prime sponsor · Sen.
R
Concurred in amendments
Do Pass Amended
State Affairs — Do Pass Amended
Do Pass
State Affairs — Do Pass