MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) The South Dakota Secretary of State’s office has received petitions to place several items on the general election ballot for November 5, 2024. The sales tax repeal on food has been filed as has a petition to liberalize South Dakota’s abortion law and also a measure to legalize recreational marijuana for South Dakotans who are 21 years old or older.
There has been one constitutional amendment filed that would change how candidates are chosen for the general election ballot. It’s called a “top two primary election”. Currently, the Republican Party has a closed primary, meaning only Republicans can vote in the primary to choose who their party will place on the general election ballot. Democrats have an open primary which means that both Democrats and Independents can vote on who the Democrats will put up for the general election.
A top two primary system puts all the candidates for the same office on the same primary ballot and the top two vote getters then square off in the fall on the general election ballot. In a top two primary system what often emerges is two people of the same party running against each other in the general election.
Initiated measures must have 17,508 valid signatures while constitutional amendments must have 35,017 valid signatures to be eligible for placement on the November general election ballot. The Secretary of State’s office is currently verifying and validating the signatures on these ballot issue petitions.