Signed by Governor Dennis Daugaard

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends procedures for preparing and submitting election petitions.

Highlights:

• Specifies that nominating petitions for primary and general elections must be submitted to the office of the Secretary of State no earlier than December 1st of the year prior to the election and no later than the third Tuesday in March of the year of the election (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that nominating petitions for elections that are not part of a primary or general election must be submitted to the office of the Secretary of State no later than 65 days prior to the election (Sec. 2).

• Requires that nominating petitions for a candidate affiliated with a party recognized since the last general election be signed by at least 1% of unaffiliated registered voters in the relevant district at the time of the last election, including registered voters of the new party and voters registered as “other” (Sec. 4).

• Requires that nominating petitions for a state legislative candidate affiliate with a party recognized since the last general election be signed by at least 1% of unaffiliated registered voters in the relevant district at the time of the last election or 50 voters, whichever is fewer (Sec. 6).

• Specifies that if an independent candidate for lieutenant governor withdraws from the election, no independent candidate for governor may have their name printed on the ballot unless a replacement selection for lieutenant governor is certified by the Secretary of State prior to the second Tuesday in August on the year of the election (Sec. 8).

Full Bill Text