On Octdober 29, the South Dakota Supreme Court issued an order in Kathol v Johnson. It will issue a full opinion later. The issue is the petition validity of Celestine Stadnick’s petition and declaration of candidacy. The address on her declaration of candidacy doesn’t match the address on her voter registration record. Also, on her petition, some of her signers didn’t list the entire name of their county. The lower court had kept her on the ballot on May 19, so the ballots had already been printed with her name. She is the Democratic nominee. Her Republican opponent had brought the challenge.

Stadnick is running for State Senate, 27th district, which encompasses the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Here is an article about independent candidates in South Dakota this year that was published before the State Supreme Court had acted.