Controversial bid to defang political party delegates heads to House

Supporters say voters will get more say in who runs in General Election

Correction: An amendment proposed to Senate Bill 13 by Sen. Jim Mehlhalff would have required that petitions for attorney general and secretary of state candidates be signed by at least 1 percent of voters in the last gubernatorial election, the same requirement for candidates of governor and federal offices. A previous version of this story incorrectly described the amendment.

PIERRE – A feud among South Dakota Republican factions about how statewide candidates should qualify for the General Election ballot spilled out of the state Senate Tuesday.

Next stop: The South Dakota House.

Election official: Random hand counts would ensure ballot tabulator accuracy

After nearly an hour of debate – including an unsuccessful effort by Sen. Jim Mehlhaff to table the bill he originally sponsored – the Senate voted to add candidates for attorney general and secretary of state to the primary ballot.

Mehlhaff’s original bill changed state law so that governor candidates can select their lieutenant governor running mates. Currently, lieutenant governors are chosen by party delegates at state conventions, as are candidates for attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, and commissioner of school and public lands. But the original bill was amended last week to add the attorney general and secretary of state to the primary ballot while leaving the other offices to be chosen at conventions.

Fund used for 'Freedom Works Here' ad campaign again in lawmakers' crosshairs

Lt. Governor's son hired to handle South Dakota GOP operations