SD Voter Defense Association encourages Gov. Rhoden to veto House Bill 1169

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – South Dakota’s legislature passed several election-related bills this last session, one state political organization however is looking to stop a particular bill in its tracks.

On Friday, the Voter Defense Association of South Dakota laid out a list of concerns regarding House Bill 1169 but the biggest issue of all for the organization is that they said the bill will take away the rule of the people.

Matthew Schweich the president of the Voter Defense Association of South Dakota cited several problems with the bill including how difficult it would be to try and track down enough people from every district.

“This bill would require circulators to carry petitions for each of South Dakota’s 35 districts. It’s already hard enough to get people to sign, imagine having to carry clipboards to accommodate every voter you might encounter,” Schweich said.

In addition, Schweich said by making the collection process so strenuous, the people of South Dakota will only have a harder time getting their voices heard.

“Just one state senate district if they don’t like the initiative, could choose not to sign it and block it even if the entirety of South Dakota other than that senate district wanted an opportunity to vote on that constitutional amendment, just one senate district could block it and we don’t think that’s fair,” Schweich said.

The legislature has already passed House Joint Resolution 5003 which will let voters decide whether a constitutional amendment should require a 60% vote to pass.

Former state Senator Reynold Nesiba says lawmakers should propose a different question to the voters.

“If they want to ban it, then they should put it on the ballot, let the people vote on it entirely but instead they do this underhanded approach making it impossible for anybody to set up 35 drives,” Nesiba said.

Governor Rhoden has until March 31 to either sign or veto the bill.

Schweich told those in attendance that if Governor Rhoden does indeed sign the bill into law, he and his team are ready to put in the effort and get the bill referred to the ballot in 2026.

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