The bill amends South Dakota election law to clarify definitions and modify requirements for political parties and candidates. Key changes include redefining terms such as "ballot question committee," "candidate," and "election official," with a new definition of "candidate" as an individual who raises or spends over $500, authorizes contributions, or takes necessary actions to qualify for election. The bill also introduces the term "paid circulator" and specifies that petitions must be self-contained and verified separately. Additionally, it outlines the process for organizing new political parties, requiring a declaration signed by at least one percent of registered voters or 3,500 voters, whichever is less, and establishes that a political party loses its right to participate in primary elections if it fails to meet specific voting thresholds.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the nomination process for independent candidates and candidates from new parties, setting new signature requirements based on the type of office sought. For federal or statewide partisan offices, candidates must gather signatures from at least one percent of registered voters affiliated with their party, capped at 2,250 voters. For legislative or county offices, the requirement is one percent of registered voters in the relevant district or county, or a maximum of 50 voters. Independent candidates for President or Vice President must collect signatures from at least one-half of one percent of registered voters in the state, capped at 3,500 voters. The timeline for submitting nominating petitions is also adjusted, allowing independent candidates to file after December 31 and before specified deadlines. The new provisions will take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/02/2026: 12-1-3, 12-5-1, 12-5-1.4, 12-5-1.5, 12-6-7, 12-7-1, 12-7-7