This bill aims to prohibit the use of voter centers in South Dakota counties by amending various sections of the election law. Notably, it deletes the definition of "vote center" from current law, which previously allowed for polling places where voters could cast their ballots regardless of precinct boundaries. The bill also makes several amendments to definitions related to elections, such as clarifying the terms "independent" and "independent candidate," and introduces new definitions for "paid circulator" and "other" voters. Additionally, it modifies the requirements for nominating petitions and the responsibilities of election officials, ensuring that all election processes revert to traditional precinct-based voting.

Furthermore, the bill includes provisions for the appointment of election officials and the conduct of post-election audits, emphasizing the need for manual counting of votes in selected precincts. It also mandates that if there is insufficient time to transmit absentee ballots to voters' home precincts, authorized messengers must deliver them directly to the precinct superintendent. Overall, the legislation seeks to reinforce traditional voting methods and eliminate the flexibility provided by voter centers, thereby impacting how elections are conducted in South Dakota.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/27/2025: 12-1-3, 12-6-7, 12-15-1, 12-17B-20, 12-19-9, 12-16-28, 12-14-17