On February 23, South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard signed HB 1037. It lets independent candidates for President choose a stand-in vice-presidential running mate; it does the same for independent gubernatorial candidates, relative to Lieutenant Governor.

The bill also moves the petition to qualify a new party from March to July, but only for parties that are willing to forego running anyone in their first year on the ballot for Governor, Congress or state legislature. The Libertarian and Constitution Parties have a lawsuit pending in U.S. District Court. If it wins, new parties that submit petitions by July would be allowed to nominate for all office, not just some offices.