South Dakota
South Dakota Will Have Abortion On The Ballot This Election—Joining These Other States
Topline
South Dakota is the latest state to include a ballot measure in the upcoming election that seeks to protect the right to an abortion, joining three other states in what Democrats hope will boost voter turnout as the party continues to attack Republicans over the issue.
U.S. President Joe Biden arrives at a ”Reproductive Freedom Campaign Rally” at George Mason … [+]
Key Facts
South Dakota: The South Dakota Secretary of State certified the ballot measure Thursday, according to NBC News, weeks after advocacy group Dakotans for Health announced they had gathered enough signatures to do so, which would override the current law that bans the procedure unless it is intended to save the life of the mother.
Florida: The state Supreme Court ruled in early April that the six-week ban signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year will be allowed to take effect May 1, but the ruling also said voters could decide on a constitutional amendment in November that would effectively reverse the law and enshrine the right to abortion.
Arizona: Abortion rights groups said in April they gathered enough signatures to put a constitutional amendment before voters in November to enshrine a “fundamental right” to abortion up until fetal viability, about 24 weeks of pregnancy, or to protect the “physical or mental health of the pregnant individual,” which would effectively reverse the state’s 15-week abortion ban—but the signatures still need to be verified by the secretary of state.
Maryland: Abortion is legal in the state, and voters will decide in November whether to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom into the state constitution via what’s known as the “Maryland Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment,” which declares “the state may not, directly or indirectly, deny, burden, or abridge the right unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”
Colorado: Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of organizations including Planned Parenthood and the Colorado American Civil Liberties Union, announced mid-April it gathered enough signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot protecting the right to abortion, which is fully legal in Colorado, according to multiple reports.
New York: The constitutional amendment voters were set to decide on would prohibit people’s rights from being denied based on “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, reproductive healthcare and autonomy,” which would have effectively added the right to an abortion to the existing Equal Protection Clause that prevents discrimination on the basis of “race, color, creed or religion”—but a conservative judge ruled last week that state legislators acted too hastily and blocked the amendment from appearing on the ballot.
What We Don’t Know
Signature drives are underway in Arkansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska and Nevada for ballot issues that would expand access to abortion. Several states have dueling measures in the works, including Colorado, where one measure would ban abortion access and another would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution.
What To Watch For
South Dakota’s proposed amendment is expected to face legal challenges, according to multiple local outlets, and NBC News reported such challenges can be filed through June 17. In New York, Attorney General Letitia James said she would appeal the decision to block the ballot measure.
Key Background
Democrats have continued to capitalize on the backlash to Roe v. Wade’s reversal in 2024 by highlighting Republicans’ support for the consequential ruling, while the ballot issues are expected to draw more Democrats to the polls in November. Democrats have also targeted Republicans over the controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling that effectively curtailed access to in vitro fertilization, blaming Roe v. Wade’s reversal for empowering states to make their own decisions on reproductive rights. Former President Donald Trump on Monday clarified his stance on abortion, declaring it should be an issue decided at the state level and on Wednesday said he wouldn’t sign a federal abortion ban into law if he were elected again.
Chief Critic
The Biden campaign is targeting Trump’s role in Roe v. Wade’s reversal in Florida and Arizona in the wake of the recent high-profile state state Supreme Court rulings there that would allow stricter abortion laws to take effect. “Because of Donald Trump, millions of women lost the fundamental freedom to control their own bodies,” President Joe Biden said in an Arizona ad aired Thursday as part of a seven-figure ad buy in the state.
Tangent
Voters have approved a string of abortion rights ballot issues since Roe v. Wade’s reversal, including in red states like Kansas and Ohio, underscoring the issue’s significant sway with voters more than a year after the Supreme Court decision. Democrats also pointed to an obscure state house race in Alabama as a harbinger for how reproductive rights issues could weigh on the November election after Democrat Marilyn Lands, who campaigned heavily on the IVF ruling, cruised to victory last week after losing the race for the seat in 2022.
Further Reading
Abortion Rights Victories Continue: Here Are All The Wins In Major Elections Since The Supreme Court Overturned Roe (Forbes)
Here’s Where Abortion Rights Are On The Ballot In The Midterms (Forbes)
15-Week Abortion Bans In Spotlight After 2023 Elections—Here’s What To Know About Them (Forbes)
Judge Nixes New York’s Abortion Rights Amendment From November Ballot—Blocking Democrats’ Voter Turnout Strategy (Forbes)
South Dakota
South Dakota State will host New Hampshire for First Round matchup
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – For the 14th consecutive season, SDSU is in the playoffs.
With a record of 8-4 they will host 8-4 New Hampshire.
A little over four weeks ago South Dakota State was undefeated.
On Saturday they snapped a 4 game losing streak.
The Jacks are happy to keep playing football.
Graham Goering, SDSU wide receiver said, “We’re just blessed for any opportunity we are given. I think having some losses, there’s really never a doubt there actually and I think just seeing our name on screen ignites a little fire for everyone on the team. So obviously just blessed and excited for new season.”
Head coach Dan Jackson said, “This team has been close and galvanized for a long time, but what I do think it does it breathes a little bit of new life in them and last four weeks have been pretty heavy for them because they have been giving us all they have while at the same time not getting results they wanted. For them to be able to take a deep breath and remember who they are, and remember we can win and win in big moments, I think we have a really confident team that feels amazing right now not only after that play but how they competed the entire game.”
SDSU hosts New Hampshire at noon at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
Copyright 2025 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
South Dakota
2025 South Dakota state volleyball championship results, all-tournament teams
RAPID CITY — The 2025 South Dakota state high school volleyball tournament came to a close on Saturday, Nov. 22, from the Summit Arena in Rapid City.
Below are the pairings for each match on Saturday in the three classes in action to put a bow on the high school volleyball season.
Seventh place
Sioux Falls Jefferson def. Mitchell, 25-22, 25-12, 25-10
Fifth place
Sioux Falls Lincoln def. Sioux Falls Washington, 20-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-20
Third place
Brandon Valley def. Watertown, 25-15, 25-19, 25-21
Championship
Harrisburg def. Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 25-16, 25-16, 25-13
Seventh place
Rapid City Christian def. Wagner, 25-12, 25-16, 25-12
Fifth place
Clark/Willow Lake def. St. Thomas More, 27-25, 26-24, 12-25, 25-23
Third place
Sioux Falls Christian def. Hamlin, 25-19, 25-15, 25-18
Championship
Dakota Valley def. Dell Rapids, 26-24, 26-24, 24-26, 25-22
Seventh place
Herreid/Selby Area def. Harding County, 23-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-13, 15-12
Fifth place
Gayville-Volin def. Parkston, 25-8, 26-24, 25-21
Third place
Northwestern def. Bennett County, 25-20, 25-19, 25-12
Championship
Chester def. Warner, 25-23, 25-16, 25-18
Class AA: Logan McGuire, Brandon Valley; Jersie Melcher, Brandon Valley; Josalyn Samuels, Harrisburg; Gabi Zachariasen, Harrisburg; Addie Siemsen, Mitchell; Sienna Sabers, Sioux Falls Jefferson; Julia Blom, Sioux Falls Lincoln; Mallory Schneider, Sioux Falls Lincoln; Londyn Smith, Sioux Falls O’Gorman; Lauren Venenga, Sioux Falls O’Gorman; Jade Jere, Sioux Falls Washington; Kynsee Russell, Watertown
Class A: Shelby Begeman, Clark/Willow Lake; Kelsey Hofer, Clark/Willow Lake; Samantha Kimball, Dakota Valley; Claire Munch, Dakota Valley; Madie Munch, Dakota Valley; Tenley Anderson, Dell Rapids; Madelynn Henry, Dell Rapids; Addison Neuendorf, Hamlin; Chloe Weber, Rapid City Christian; Leighton Scherr, St. Thomas More; Meredith Nelson, Sioux Falls Christian; Tavyn Sichmeller, Sioux Falls Christian
Class B: Peyson O’Neill, Bennett County; Reagan O’Neill, Bennett County; Lily Van Hal, Chester; Jacy Wolf, Chester; Paisley Dimmer, Gayville-Volin; Taylor Hoxeng, Gayville-Volin; Jordyn Rossow, Herreid/Selby Area; Ella Boekelheide, Northwestern; Ashley Haven, Northwestern; Keeara Oakley, Parkston; Jaycee Jung, Warner; Keira Steger, Warner
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “Mitchell Republic.” Often, the “Mitchell Republic” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
South Dakota
Live box score: South Dakota State at UND, 1 p.m.
GRAND FORKS — UND and South Dakota State kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Alerus Center with both teams chasing an eighth win of the season.
Scoring recaps will be posted below.
UND 7, SDSU 0, 2:59 left: On fourth-and-1 from the 14, Jerry Kaminski takes a designed keeper up the middle and dives into the end zone for a touchdown.
UND 14, SDSU 0, 1:10 left: UND’s first play of a drive is an 89-yard slant pass from Jerry Kaminski to B.J. Fleming.
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