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South Dakota Officials Clear Marijuana Legalization Campaign To Launch Paid Signature Drive For 2024 Ballot Initiative

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South Dakota Officials Clear Marijuana Legalization Campaign To Launch Paid Signature Drive For 2024 Ballot Initiative


South Dakota officials have cleared the way for paid circulators to start collecting signatures for a 2024 marijuana legalization ballot initiative as the activist-led campaign continues to evaluate next steps.

Late last month, the secretary of state’s office approved a circulator handout submitted by South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws (SDBML), a requirement that will allow the campaign to deploy paid canvassers to gather signatures along with its existing grassroots network of volunteers who have already been distributing petitions.

The newly approved campaign material simply features the state attorney general’s title and explanation of the ballot measure, which was finalized in August.

Matthew Schweich, director of SDBML, told Marijuana Moment on Thursday that the campaign is “starting to pay a small team of circulators to help gather signatures, but we haven’t yet launched the full-scale paid signature drive.”

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The effort is “moving in the right direction,” he said, adding that organizers have “a large number of volunteers working across the state,” as well as volunteers based at existing medical marijuana dispensaries and other businesses that are supporting the effort.

“So there’s a strong volunteer operation that’s been gaining steam, and we’re working on raising money—and we’ve made some progress there,” he said. “We don’t want to wait forever to start getting the paid circulating going, so we’re getting started small-scale with the hope that we can ramp it up, especially as the weather improves.”

Ensuring that the campaign has sufficient resources to succeed has been top-of-mind, as Schweich says losing again at the ballot following South Dakota voters’ rejection of a legalization measure in 2022 is “not an option.”

“We’re still not at a point where we can say we have the funds to get on the ballot or run a strong campaign, but we’re continuing to make progress on the fundraising front,” he said. “I remain cautiously optimistic that this campaign can be viable.”

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This is the campaign’s third attempt at the ballot. Voters did approve a legalization initiative in 2020, but it later was invalidated by the state Supreme Court over single-subject concerns.

Even if activists do get the funding and secure ballot placement this year, they will still need to win over voters who rejected legalization in the last election.

Ahead of that election, a poll found that 51 percent of South Dakotans planned to vote against the legalization measure, while 40 percent said they’d be supporting it and 10 percent remained undecided. That was the third poll in a row showing the legalization measure behind.

Meanwhile, a separate proposed 2024 legalization ballot measure, sponsored by Rapid City resident Emmett Reistroffer, recently received its final ballot explanation from the state attorney general. That initiative would legalize adult-use possession and cultivation of cannabis, while allowing medical marijuana dispensaries to serve adult consumers. That said, the chief backer of the proposal says he has no plans to collect signatures or campaign for the change.

Separately, opponents of legalization have filed two other proposed ballot measures to tighten drug laws in the state. One would repeal the state’s medical marijuana law, while the other would keep federally banned substances from ever being legalized by voters.

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The state attorney general finalized the ballot explanation for the medical marijuana repeal measure in August. But SDBML recently said the initiative should be thrown out due to an alleged error in how the proposal was filed, failing to include a full list of the state statutes it would seek to undo.


Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

After voters approved medical cannabis legalization in 2020, Gov. Kristi Noem (R) tried to get the legislature to approve a bill to delay implementation for an additional year. But while it cleared the House, negotiators were unable to reach an agreement with the Senate in conference, dealing a defeat to the governor.

In response, Noem’s office started exploring a compromise, with one proposal that came out of her administration to decriminalize possession of up to one ounce of cannabis, limit the number of plants that patients could cultivate to three and prohibit people under 21 from qualifying for medical marijuana.

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In the 2022 legislative session, the House rejected a legalization bill that the Senate had passed, effectively leaving it up to activists to get on the ballot again.

A Marijuana Interim Study Committee, headed by legislative leaders, was established to explore cannabis policy reform, and the panel in November 2021 recommended that the legislature take up legalization. The House-defeated legislation was one of the direct products of that recommendation.

Currently more than 11,500 people in South Dakota hold medical marijuana cards—nearly double the 6,000 cardholders that state officials expected to enroll in the program by 2024.

Colorado Governor And Activists Celebrate 10-Year Anniversary Of First Legal Recreational Marijuana Sales

Photo courtesy of Max Pixel.

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South Dakota

South Dakota: GFP Commission modifies bounty program – focuses on youth trapping and coyote removal

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South Dakota: GFP Commission modifies bounty program – focuses on youth trapping and coyote removal


The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission passed a resolution to end the current Nest Predator Bounty Program at their March meeting in Pierre and create two separate programs within the existing budget and time period.The Nest Predator Bounty Program began in 2019 with the implementation of the Second Century Initiative. This reinvigorated trapping as an outdoor recreational opportunity and a means to get youth engaged and spend more time outdoors.

Data collected from the program shows that the level of youth participation over the past 4 years has exceeded 30%. In 2024 and 2025, youth participation reached 46%.”The Nest Predator Bounty Program has been incredibly successful at engaging youth in wildlife management and our tradition of trapping in South Dakota,” said Kevin Robling, GFP Secretary.

In total, 342,743 nest predators were removed since the program’s inception.”Intense nest predator removal in localized areas during the nesting season can contribute to higher nest success and we encourage individuals to continue to participate in this management activity,” continued Robling. “In 2026, we are going to focus on continuing to get youth outdoors and addressing our coyote population.”



As part of this focus, the current Nest Predator Bounty Program is ending. The allocated $500,000 for this program will be split into two separate programs: the Youth Trapping Recruitment Program and the Coyote Bounty Program.

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Youth Trapping Recruitment Program 



The Youth Trapping Recruitment Program will be open for South Dakota youth age 17 and under. Tails from raccoon, striped skunk, badger, opossum, and red fox will be worth $10.The program will run from March 1-July 1, unless the $200,000 limit is reached first.”Youth recruitment and retention in trapping and wildlife management is a key component of this program,” said Robling. “We are thrilled with the amount of youth participation we have seen, so we want to continue this momentum.”

Coyote Bounty Program

The Coyote Bounty Program will be open for all South Dakota residents. Tails from coyotes will be worth $30.The program will run from April 1-July 1, unless the $300,000 limit is reached first.”Controlling the coyote population is critical for both our agricultural industry and wildlife populations,” stated Robling. “The newly created Coyote Bounty Program will assist in the management of these predators to help protect newborn calves and lambs for agricultural producers and enhance fawn survival for deer and antelope.”

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Tail Submission Opportunities 

Individuals wishing to participate in either of these programs may submit tails to their local GFP office during designated tail turn in opportunities. Households are eligible to submit up to $590 worth of tails in each program.

–South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks





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SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 5, 2026

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 5 drawing

17-20-23-30-33, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
  • Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
  • Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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DOE selects nine school districts for 2026 South Dakota Perkins Reserve grant

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DOE selects nine school districts for 2026 South Dakota Perkins Reserve grant


SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Nine school districts have been selected as recipients of the 2026 Perkins Reserve Grant by the South Dakota Department of Education.

The grant provides major equipment upgrades for Career and Technical Education programs, helping to equip students with the skills and experiences needed for post-secondary education and the workforce.

“CTE programs are constantly evolving to match the pace of workforce needs,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Joseph Graves.

“The South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant aids schools in equipping students with current technologies, resources, and tools, offering students a realistic, hands-on learning experience that will strengthen their marketability to colleges or employers once they leave the K-12 education system.”

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The following school districts have been named as the 2026 recipients:

  • Aberdeen School District:
    • Awarded $30,233 for new precision machine equipment for the manufacturing program.
  • De Smet School District:
    • Awarded $15,898 for modernizing metal fabrication within agriculture programs.
  • Lake Preston School District:
    • Awarded $43,160 for expansion of program offers in multiple career clusters to strengthen industrial alignment.
  • McLaughlin School District:
    • Awarded $11,997 to purchase equipment to offer a new culinary arts program.
  • Menno School District:
    • Awarded $32,844 to purchase small engines and attend professional development opportunities to enhance the agricultural mechanics program.
  • Mitchell School District:
    • Awarded $38,663 for the modernization of the automotive technology lab.
  • Timber Lake School District:
    • Awarded $42,400 for the expansion of agriculture course offerings to strengthen industry alignment.
  • Wakpala School District:
    • Awarded $40,145 to purchase a skid steer simulator to enhance the agriculture and construction program.
  • Wolsey-Wessington School District:
    • Awarded $26,201 to purchase industry-aligned equipment to enhance the agriculture and construction program.

You can learn more about the South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant at doe.sd.gov.



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