The proposed bill seeks to prohibit the use of automatic tabulating equipment and electronic ballot marking systems in South Dakota elections, asserting that the State Board of Elections cannot authorize such systems and that political subdivisions are also restricted from adopting them. It amends existing laws to require that all official ballots be printed on quality bond paper, mandates that individual races or ballot questions cannot be split between pages, and ensures that all voting occurs in private booths. Furthermore, the bill stipulates that ballots must be counted by hand, promoting transparency and public oversight in the vote counting process.

In addition to these provisions, the bill repeals several sections of current law concerning the testing and operation of automatic tabulating equipment, including requirements for testing procedures, equipment sealing and verification, and the presence of electronic ballot marking systems at polling places. It also eliminates the need for post-election audits and the associated criteria and processes for selecting precincts for audits and notifying candidates of discrepancies. While the bill aims to streamline the election process and reduce regulatory burdens on election officials, it raises concerns regarding the potential impact on election integrity and transparency, as many of the repealed provisions were designed to ensure accurate vote counting and accountability.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 02/05/2025: 12-16-2, 12-18-1, 12-19-43, 12-20-1, 12-20-13, 12-20-13.1, 12-20-13.2, 12-21-24, 61-1-36, 12-17B-1, 12-17B-2, 12-17B-3, 12-17B-4, 12-17B-5, 12-17B-5.1, 12-17B-5.2, 12-17B-6, 12-17B-6.1, 12-17B-7, 12-17B-9, 12-17B-10, 12-17B-11, 12-17B-12, 12-17B-13, 12-17B-13.1, 12-17B-14, 12-17B-15, 12-17B-16, 12-17B-17, 12-17B-18, 12-17B-19, 12-17B-20, 12-17B-21, 12-17B-22, 12-17B-23, 12-17B-24, 12-17B-25