South Dakota

Supreme Court ruling robs Native Americans of ‘silent partner’ in legislative redistricting – ICT

Published

4 weeks ago

May 28, 2026

Press Room

Supreme Court ruling robs Native Americans of ‘silent partner’ in legislative redistricting – ICT

by South Dakota Searchlight, ICT
May 28, 2026

This story was originally published by South Dakota Searchlight.

Makenzie Huber
South Dakota Searchlight

A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gutted a key provision of a voting rights law won’t affect South Dakota’s legislative districts until 2031 — but Native American voting rights advocates aren’t waiting to worry.

The decision in Louisiana v. Callais dismantled guardrails protecting the electoral power of Black, Hispanic and other racial minority voters enshrined in the Voting Rights Act, a 1965 law barring racial discrimination in voting.

The 6-3 decision effectively nullified a provision called Section 2, which had required states to draw electoral maps giving racial minorities a fair chance to elect their preferred candidates.

Greg Lembrich, legal director for Four Directions, a South Dakota-based Native American voting rights advocacy organization, is concerned about the ruling.

“It’s a layer of protection that’s now been taken down by the U.S. Supreme Court and makes it that much easier to deprive minority voters of the full weight of their voting rights,” Lembrich said, “and a lot harder for voters with diluted voting rights to challenge those decisions in court.”

South Dakota has a strained relationship with the federal law. Some of the state’s redistricting changes in the last 50 years stem from requirements enforced at the federal level — and a majority of Native Americans who’ve earned seats in the Legislature have been elected from districts influenced by the law.

What the ruling means for South Dakota

The Supreme Court ruling has already set off redistricting battles in some states that have multiple members of the U.S. House of Representatives. That won’t happen in South Dakota, where the state’s small population entitles it to only one member of the House.

But the Legislature is required by the state constitution to redraw its districts every 10 years after the census. When that happens next in 2031, advocates will lose the legal tools they used to create and defend Native-majority districts. Under the old Section 2 standard, a map could be challenged by showing it had a discriminatory effect — even without proving intent. Now, challengers must prove lawmakers deliberately discriminated.

“It’s very hard to prove intentional discrimination,” Lembrich said. “People who are doing something to intentionally discriminate usually don’t admit that’s what they’re doing.”

In South Dakota, Section 2 caused the creation of split districts — single districts divided into subdistricts, each electing one state House member, with both sharing one at-large state senator. Districts 26 and 28, which include the Rosebud, Lower Brule, Crow Creek, Cheyenne River and Standing Rock reservations, are split districts.

The structure gives Native American voters the power to elect a candidate of their choice without stripping non-Native voters of the same opportunity, Lembrich said. District 27, which includes the Pine Ridge Reservation, has a majority Native American voting population.

Former Republican lawmaker Jim Bolin, who represented the Canton area, served on the 2011 and 2021 redistricting committees — both of which produced district maps that avoided litigation. He said lawmakers on the committees in both years went “out of their way” to include Native American voters and “ensure the Native American population would be able to win an election.”

In 2011, the Legislature expanded District 26 to include the Crow Creek and Lower Brule reservations.

In 2021, the Legislature consolidated a large urban Native population in northern Rapid City into one district rather than splitting it, and a Democrat was elected from District 32 for the first time in 18 years. The Legislature also expanded District 26 to follow Crow Creek reservation lines rather than county lines, and the voting population for Native-heavy districts was kept lower to avoid diluting Native voters.

Lembrich isn’t sure legislative leaders will feel compelled to redraw those districts dramatically in 2031. Although many of the Native Americans who have been elected to the Legislature have been Democrats, Republicans currently hold 97 of the Legislature’s 105 positions.

“Republicans consistently have a super majority in both chambers,” Lembrich said. “They don’t need the extra seats. It may not be worth the PR and the lawsuits of trying to change it.”

This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://ictnews.org/news/supreme-court-ruling-robs-native-americans-of-silent-partner-in-legislative-redistricting/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://ictnews.org”>ICT</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/ictnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cropped-Favicon-Larger-Icon-.png?resize=150%2C150&quality=80&ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>

<img id=”republication-tracker-tool-source” src=”https://ictnews.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=329497&ga4=G-YFS314KT4J” style=”width:1px;height:1px;”><script> PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: “https://ictnews.org/news/supreme-court-ruling-robs-native-americans-of-silent-partner-in-legislative-redistricting/”, urlref: window.location.href }); } } </script> <script id=”parsely-cfg” src=”//cdn.parsely.com/keys/ictnews.org/p.js”></script>

Source link

South Dakota

“This Is Our Event” – Local news, weather and sports from Pierre, South Dakota

Published

3 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

“This Is Our Event” – Local news, weather and sports from Pierre, South Dakota

It’s an annual tradition, a sensation of the summertime – the Oahe Days Music & Arts Festival, a weekend-long congregation of vendors, crafters, makers and entertainers, ushering in the season with food and fun.

“It’s a huge event, an entire weekend completely free, everything is completely free – granted, you know, we have the carnival, we have a full slate of activities, (but) there’s something for everyone,” John Sterling, Vice President of the Oahe Days Music & Arts Festival, told the Capital Journal. “We have a magician going right now, earlier she was doing balloon animals, there was a canine show, they were doing canine stunts.”

Take your shot and get a prize — carnival games are great fun for all ages at Oahe Days.

Iain Woessner

Oahe Days consists of shows, food, the carnival section and a diverse collection of vendor tents, selling everything from knives and kitchenware to fresh-baked bread, vintage antique pottery, jewelry, stones and crystals, artwork to spices.

The air rings with peals of laughter as children race from magic shows to ferris wheels and adults indulge in fried food, funnel cakes, gyros and barbecue. In a town where families remain the cornerstone of community culture, Oahe Days is evident in its focus on family-friendly-fun.

“I think this is a fantastic community event and it brings out children, families and everybody and I think this is critical to the future of Pierre and Central South Dakota,” Kevin Larsen of Pierre/Fort Pierre Kiwanis said. “This is really one of those community activities that has sustained for many years and I’d like to encourage more volunteers. That’s what makes this event a success, the volunteers.”

The event relies on volunteers to help in the unsung and unseen logistics of something on this scale, and the organizers of Oahe Days echoed the need for the community to continue to invest time and money to keep the beloved event alive.

You never know what you’re going to see at the Oahe Days Music & Arts Festival, and that’s what makes the celebration of summer as beloved an annual tradition as it is.

“There is a call for volunteers,” Julie Diedrich, President of the Oahe Days Music & Arts Festival, said. “If you are a local business and you want to contribute to making this a free event, we’re always open to donations and (regarding volunteers), it can be a little or just volunteering throughout the weekend.”

It’s not just in the official elements that the community works to keep Oahe Days going – beloved events are organized and integrated into the Festival by members of the community themselves, demonstrating the collaborative spirit of the event. This is best exemplified by the Soggy Bottom Race, a cardboard boat race that had once been held every year before going on an extended hiatus, only to have been revived last year by locals who missed it.

“I think that Oahe Days is such a good event, it brings everybody down here, and I used to participate in the cardboard boat race myself, I always had a ton of fun building the boats and it’s super fun. We thought it was something that had been missing,” Blake Severyn with the Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota, told the Capital Journal.

The Soggy Bottom Race serves nonprofits in the area as well, with entry fees going to a different organization each year, this year supporting Soterra. Boats are judged both on the skill of their crews in navigating the river as they race to the other shore and also on their craftsmanship, with each cardboard boat boasting a unique and fun design.

Of course, half the fun is wondering which of the colorful cardboard crafts will actually prove seaworthy.

“Some of them won’t make it more than six feet and some of them will make it all the way,” Severyn said.

1/5: Food, fun, music and magic — these things and more are what makes Oahe Days so special, and the summertime tradition is only growing bigger and better each year, bringing visitors from all across Central South Dakota.
Iain Woessner

2/5: Food, fun, music and magic — these things and more are what makes Oahe Days so special, and the summertime tradition is only growing bigger and better each year, bringing visitors from all across Central South Dakota.
Iain Woessner

3/5: Food, fun, music and magic — these things and more are what makes Oahe Days so special, and the summertime tradition is only growing bigger and better each year, bringing visitors from all across Central South Dakota.
Iain Woessner

4/5: Food, fun, music and magic — these things and more are what makes Oahe Days so special, and the summertime tradition is only growing bigger and better each year, bringing visitors from all across Central South Dakota.
Iain Woessner

5/5: Food, fun, music and magic — these things and more are what makes Oahe Days so special, and the summertime tradition is only growing bigger and better each year, bringing visitors from all across Central South Dakota.
Iain Woessner

The spirit fueling Oahe Days, from its concerts to its competitions, is one of local pride.

“This is our event, it is the event of the summer in Pierre, it kicks off summer officially and it’s what people look forward to year after year,” Sterling said.

Iain Woessner is the editor of the Capital Journal in Pierre, South Dakota. Iain can be reached by calling 605-307-5502, ext. 5012, or emailing Iain.woessner@capjournal.com.

Source link

South Dakota

SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for June 22, 2026

Published

14 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

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

Here’s a look at June 22, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from June 22 drawing

17-19-21-45-48, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from June 22 drawing

12-13-35-41-52, Star Ball: 05, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 22 drawing

07-08-20-24-42, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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.

Source link

South Dakota

South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation raises $292,620 for Feeding SD at annual gala

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2026

Press Room

South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation raises 2,620 for Feeding SD at annual gala

Lori Dykstra, CEO of Feeding South Dakota, receives a check for $292,620 at the Prime Time Gala hosted by the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls. (Photo courtesy of TheEventCompanySD)

At the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation’s 13th annual Prime Time Gala on Saturday, June 20, 2026, the point of the evening was never far from view: beef, music, scholarships and fundraising all tied back to getting high-quality protein to South Dakotans who need it.

Held at the Sioux Falls Convention Center and Denny Sanford PREMIER Center complex, the Prime Time Gala again brought together cattle producers, agricultural businesses, community supporters and Feeding South Dakota for an upscale dinner, auction program and country concert. The evening opened with a prayer from Ray Larson before moving into the program, awards and live auction.

“Success boils down to one thing, and that’s to all of you who are with us tonight,” foundation leadership told the crowd, framing the event as a collective effort by ranchers, cattle feeders, donors, volunteers and businesses across the state.

Viewpoints

VIEWPOINT | Don’t blame voters for lack of trust in South Dakota politics: Look in mirror

Too much of today’s political conversation revolves around personalities, endorsements and internal political scorekeeping. We argue about who is conservative enough, who is endorsed by the right people, who is supported by the right organizations and who belongs to the right political tribe. While politicians and activists debate those questions, many ordinary voters are simply asking who is focused on solving problems and improving their communities.