On November 6, supporters of a top-two system submitted approximately 37,200 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office. Initiatives to change the state constitution this year need 27,741 valid signatures. If the petition is approved, the measure will appear on the November 2018 ballot.
The proposal does not cover statewide state offices other than Governor. If it were approved, parties would still have nominees for Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Attorney General, Auditor, School Commissioner, and Public Utilities Commissioner. But there would be no party nominees for Governor, Congress, state legislature, or county office.
Because the measure only amends the state constitution, it is not very detailed. It would be up to the legislature to pass laws on whether party labels would be allowed for voters who are registered members of unqualified parties. Also the legislature would decide how the ballot would explain to the voters that party labels for some office do mean the candidate is a party nominee, but for other offices, party labels don’t mean that the candidate is a party nominee. Here is the wording of the proposed change.
Money for the paid circulators came from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation of Houston, Texas, channeled through the New York city organization called Open Primaries.
There will probably be at least eight other initiatives on the November 2018 South Dakota ballot, although the number won’t be known until early next year, after the signatures are checked. Another initiative that submitted signatures would require a non-partisan commission to draw legislative district boundaries.
