Tag: Secretary of State

Government, JusticeLeave a comment

Iowa’s election officials are among those targeted with ‘suspicious’ parcels

Gary Dickson

Election offices in Iowa and at least four other states were evacuated due to suspicious parcels containing a white powder, prompting a response from authorities. While tests revealed these substances were nonhazardous, the incidents reflect an ongoing issue of intimidation towards election officials, echoing similar threats from the previous year. Continue reading Iowa’s election officials are among those targeted with ‘suspicious’ parcels

Government, Politics, South DakotaLeave a comment

Dakotans for Health threatens lawsuit over signature withdrawal bill

Gary Dickson

The group sponsoring a constitutional amendment to expand South Dakota abortion rights said it will likely file a lawsuit if legislators pass a bill allowing petitioners to withdraw signatures that already have been certified for the ballot.

“I can’t speculate about whether the bill will pass or not,” said Rapid City lawyer Jim Leach, who represents Dakotans for Health, a grassroots organization that pushes for progressive policy through petition efforts. “I can say that if it does pass, there’s certainly a substantial possibility of legal action.”

At issue is House Bill 1244, which would change South Dakota’s ballot initiative process by allowing an individual who signed a petition to withdraw their signature by sending a written notification to the Secretary of State’s office. This could occur after the petition effort has been validated but is still eligible to be challenged through the Secretary of State or court appeal. Continue reading Dakotans for Health threatens lawsuit over signature withdrawal bill

Commentary, Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

Regret signing that petition? Republicans are here to ‘help’

Gary Dickson

Ever since the South Dakota Legislature dismantled the voter-approved anti-corruption measure known as IM 22 in record time, lawmakers and the people who back-initiated measures have been locked in a battle of the ballot box. Lawmakers try to throw up as many roadblocks to ballot access as they can while ballot measure backers are intent on getting multiple issues in front of voters. 

Through the years, Republicans in the Legislature have tried many tactics to make success tougher for ballot measures. Continue reading Regret signing that petition? Republicans are here to ‘help’

Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

Secretary of State releases election integrity brochure, urges voters to trust officials

Gary Dickson

A new brochure from Secretary of State Monae Johnson aims to address common election integrity questions in advance of the 2024 election, according to a Tuesday news release.

The brochure, titled “A Guide to Secure Elections in South Dakota,” is designed to explain “different security measures South Dakota has put in place to protect our elections,” according to the release. Continue reading Secretary of State releases election integrity brochure, urges voters to trust officials

Government, Siouxland, South DakotaLeave a comment

Former small-town Minnesota mayor is behind the rise of electoral activism in South Dakota. He’s just getting started.

Gary Dickson

One of the Midwest’s most prominent election deniers stood next to a pinball machine at the Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls in October, outlining how he impacted South Dakota’s 2022 race for secretary of state.

Rick Weible, a 51-year-old computer analyst and Republican Party operative had just given a slideshow to a group called Concerned Citizens of Lincoln County about alleged fraud in the 2020 presidential election and perceived vulnerabilities in South Dakota’s voting systems.

“I was upsetting the apple cart,” Weible said of that election. “I brought my Minnesota experience into South Dakota because I was thinking, ‘If I can’t fix Minnesota, how can I get involved somewhere else to force some of these changes?’” Continue reading Former small-town Minnesota mayor is behind the rise of electoral activism in South Dakota. He’s just getting started.