Ballot circulators race for signatures ahead of looming deadline

Crowded November ballot still possible even with some proposals failing to make cutoff

Photo by Elliott Stallion on Unsplash

UPDATE: After initial publication of this article, a member of Concerned Citizens of South Dakota, the ballot question committee behind the medical marijuana repeal effort, told The Dakota Scout about 100 volunteers continue to circulate petitions.

The potential for a fall ballot in South Dakota with more than a dozen initiated measures for voters to weigh in on won’t be a reality.

But even though questions about legislative term limits, lawmakers’ ability to override voter-approved ballot measures and a medical marijuana repeal effort won’t make the cut, petition circulators still anticipate a crowded ballot.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, two proposals — one to allow lawmakers to create a Medicaid work requirement and another to make the state Constitution gender neutral — have already been certified for the ballot by the state Legislature, and nine more remain eligible if their backers can get the necessary signatures ahead of the fast-approaching May 7 deadline.

And though that’s not going to happen for all nine, an analysis by The Dakota Scout this month found that as many as seven proposals are still alive.

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Here’s a look at what’s still in play and what isn’t: