Abortion opponents vow to renew court challenge following dismissal
Judge rules that group should have filed against secretary of state, not pro-abortion rights group
An anti-abortion group hoping to block an abortion amendment from the November ballot is vowing to appeal a judge who dismissed its lawsuit Monday.
But the clock is ticking on Life Defense Fund’s efforts to remove Constitutional Amendment G from the general election ballot: The Secretary of State’s Office faces an Aug. 13 deadline to certify all ballot questions to county auditors, and ballots must be printed and in the possession of county auditors by Sept. 18. Early voting begins Sept. 20.
In dismissing the case, Minnehaha County Judge John Pekas ruled that Life Defense Fund should have filed a writ of quo warranto against the secretary of state, challenging the authority of certifying the ballot question. Life Defense Fund filed its case against Dakotans for Health, the group that collected signatures to bring the issue to voters.
Life Defense Fund co-chair Leslee Unruh said there were no grounds for Pekas to dismiss the lawsuit and that the group followed “appropriate procedures.”
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