VIEWPOINT OVERFLOW | South Dakotans debate ballot questions in letters to The Dakota Scout

Busy ballot sparks flood of editorial submissions ahead of Election 2024.

Civic passions are running high with policy questions before South Dakota voters about abortion, Medicaid work requirements, gender-neutral language in the constitution, carbon pipelines, marijuana, and elections themselves.

And with seven initiated measures and proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot this election cycle, The Dakota Scout has done its best to keep up with a constant bevy of VIEWPOINT submissions and letters to the editor related to Nov. 5.

But with a finite amount of space in the weekly paper, a commitment to balanced editorial decisions, and the reality that long-held debates around some subjects leave little to learn for the average voter by the time Election Day rolls around, not all have been published.

The editorial team is also mindful not to clog up subscribers’ emails and news feeds with content that provides no new information.

Still, because The Scout takes pride in offering a truly open community forum for political dialogue, here’s a look at some of the VIEWPOINTS that had been left on the cutting room floor. Readers can also see what election-related submissions have already published in The Scout by visiting our VIEWPOINTS section.