Pair of South Dakota Ballot Issues Getting National Attention

While the prospects (or fear) of a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton presidency will drive record numbers of voters to the polls Tuesday, two issues on the ballot in South Dakota are generating some national publicity.

In the recent issue of TIME magazine, South Dakota's Referred Law 20 and Amendment V are listed among the 'Other Big Issues On The Ballot' by the weekly publication.

Referred Law 20 would decrease the minimum wage for workers under age 18, from $8.50 to $7.50 per hour. Supporters say the law would:

...establish a youth training wage while respecting the will of voters to raise the minimum wage for adults.

Opponents say the law would:

...create an unnecessary and undemocratic sub-minimum wage for teenagers.

Amendment V would eliminate a candidate's party affiliation on the primary or general election ballot. All qualified voters, regardless of party affiliation, would then be able to vote for any candidate of their choice.

The two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election. For certain offices where more than one candidate is elected at the general election, the number of candidates advancing to the general election will be double the number of seats to be filled.

Supporters of the amendment say:

Politicians are elected to win for their party, not America. 109,000 South Dakota independent voters can’t fully participate. 90% of Americans lack confidence in our political system. The voters deserve better.

Opponents of Amendment V say:

Amendment V gives politicians the constitutional right to hide party information from South Dakotans. The people deserve constitutional rights, not politicians. Amendment V takes party registration information away from voters at the moment they need that information most: when voting. Amendment V makes our ballot less transparent. While proponents call it an “open” primary, they never tell you that it is actually a HIDDEN Primary.

In all there are ten statewide amendments, referred laws, and measures to vote on in South Dakota.

The polls will be open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Tuesday, November 8, 2016.

To find your polling place, click here.