Jackley: Disclosing voter registration file does not violate earlier law

Attorney general concedes the two laws appear to conflict, but they can be 'harmonized' to co-exist

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued an advisory opinion Monday stating that legislation passed by the Legislature this year that requires access to the statewide voter registration file does not conflict with a prior existing law.

The Legislature passed House Bill 1062 that requires the Secretary of State’s Office to post weekly updates of the registration file, making it available to anyone who requests it. Lawmakers passed HB 1062 as an election integrity measure.

Previously, the voter file was publicly available, but at a price. HB 1062 made it free.