Source: The American Prospect
by Gabrielle Gurley
“At the beginning of South Dakota’s short legislative year, which runs from January to March, state lawmakers voted to add the most extreme geographic requirement in the country, which would make it incredibly difficult to qualify constitutional amendments. The plan would have forced canvassers to collect signatures in each of the state’s 35 senatorial districts. The number of signatures would have to equal 5 percent of that senatorial district’s votes for governor in the last gubernatorial election. … After hearing from outraged voters, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden got the message. Even though he thought the bill was a ‘worthy goal,’ he also surmised that it wouldn’t stand up to an inevitable court challenge, and he vetoed it. Last Monday, in the final meeting of the 2025 session, the members of the state House voted to overturn the decision, but the state Senate sustained the governor’s veto.” (04/07/25)
https://prospect.org/politics/2025-04-07-south-dakota-louisiana-voters-ballot-initiatives/