South Dakota lawmakers subpoena secretary of state in election software probe

Johnson ordered to appear before oversight panel that contends election official repeatedly refused to answer questions on voter registration system

South Dakota’s top election official has been subpoenaed by a legislative investigative committee amid an escalating probe into election integrity and voter registration software used statewide.

The Government Operations and Audit Committee (GOAC) voted unanimously Thursday to compel Secretary of State Monae Johnson to appear after months of failed requests for her testimony about a voter registration and poll book system that contains data for hundreds of thousands of South Dakotans.

“We have asked the secretary many times to come, and she keeps not coming,” said GOAC Chair Rep. Marty Overweg. “So I believe this is within the role of this committee to get answers, and this is the one way we’re going to get them.”