[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6463865,"mediaKeyId","5784853-2a5b51b775863031ab4ae7f6d5756353","parentId",5784853,"title","Brookings council discusses choice of June or November municipal elections under new state law","audioSeconds",2950,"startMs",779000,"endMs",3729000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784853-2a5b51b775863031ab4ae7f6d5756353&start=779&end=3729","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784853-2a5b51b775863031ab4ae7f6d5756353/thumbnail_779000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6463865/Brookings/Brookings-County/South-Dakota/Brookings-council-discusses-choice-of-June-or-November-municipal-elections-under-new-state-law","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463865-f8ca9dc23910cfaacf47d08b52a95256/orig.mp4?Expires=1773703705&Signature=VAN8LSSDij2Mzug47nQnBdoYw8OdXDpjOTQTK4dbtmsWKazvyxViQ4ezZyibZW-G2fxb7mXhK7MScfoSNLrfjliAbBucnVLEEAqN4FEdNPExFgoUacPi8DMxE0CThNl6lgLNFx7HAOg5sh45neWVaslbjw6mIDNwF~JfgV-GPs48jDDr2AoY8oJlbuJ5gfu5X3c3RtlK-h0qmjfKn~JQ9j1k72EIn8SXPJGY4A9dRUKUK45UrtK2atmOTapxobPPC5HIvGQwkI28dT-KkuocZFptwb7keGVuFuoWfozMzRCaepDn4k5R6EtvZ2pYj7O6EkbGQCAkzzm9EOyA2~bAGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Brookings","date","2025-09-17T12:19:54Z","article","City Clerk Bonnie Foster presented options and implications from House Bill 1130, the state statute that requires municipalities to choose either the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June or the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November for municipal elections beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and to notify the state by Jan. 14, 2026.

Foster said the council's election schedule (a 3-2-2 rotation with three-year terms) will need to shift to match the chosen date; the effect is that current officeholders' terms will be extended until the newly selected election date. She said the Brookings County Finance Office prefers a November date, while the Brookings School District had earlier indicated a preference for June to align with July 1 term starts. Foster noted that municipalities are not legally required to match school or county dates, but many local officials prefer to coordinate for administrative convenience and to limit costs.

Foster reviewed local data: historically combined city elections drew roughly 2,500 ballots from about 12,000 registered voters; a combined city-school election cost about $21,000, and a city-only election about $2,000 less. She said Brookings County had budgeted about $215,400 for elections in 2026 but that the city's share of that amount was not specified. Foster also summarized turnout differences by month: June elections have typically produced lower turnout than November; June ballots can also require more ballot-style variations in some years, complicating tabulation and staff work.

Key operational uncertainties remain, Foster said, including absentee/early-voting windows (municipalities historically used 15 days for early voting; federal/state contests use 45 days), petition and vacancy timelines, whether nonpartisan city and school races will appear with party labels if placed on partisan ballots, and how canvass and swearing-in dates align with municipal and school processes. She said the Secretary of State, municipal and county associations are meeting to provide further guidance and that additional clarifications were expected in October.

Council members and representatives from the Brookings School Board and Brookings County asked questions about costs, voter demographics (including SDSU students), ballot styles, vote-center operations, canvass timelines and the effect on budget and onboarding of newly elected officials. Several attendees urged continued coordination between the city, county and school district and requested a follow-up joint study session once county and state guidance is available.

Foster said the city can schedule additional joint study sessions and reiterated the Jan. 14, 2026, deadline for the council to select its election date.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Study Session Meeting 9/16/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council members and invited school and county representatives discussed House Bill 1130, which requires municipalities to select June or November election dates by Jan. 14, 2026; the presentation covered turnout data, ballot complexity, costs and administrative uncertainties.","taxTitle","Brookings, Brookings County, South Dakota","taxId",68683,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6463871,"Brookings city clerk reviews updates to South Dakota open-meeting laws",561,133000,694000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784853-2a5b51b775863031ab4ae7f6d5756353&start=133&end=694","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784853-2a5b51b775863031ab4ae7f6d5756353/thumbnail_133000.jpg","/articles/6463871/Brookings/Brookings-County/South-Dakota/Brookings-city-clerk-reviews-updates-to-South-Dakota-open-meeting-laws","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463871-d31301d32f3993926f7172a6ba7a9291/orig.mp4?Expires=1773703705&Signature=SNeEquq1je5BX02mF6GWIE~Uxrdt7hWiTYl942E5kz4xh85dYxoexH3AVzwN3gG8iJMKETmEyzvsU571iy1k1dsVIwq9tagr40oMvWxFV9bOhDXFbCIHqh7VizcK3-2D1p5cOFqAvR2-uf0a1uSqZatVUXB81o7y4vL4Vz5BZj~AllKzaRFs0Dd15lhNeseWpz-2tXH~jOMmdIUHgCG21ZkarV~AoLtlRatkHxGNYsLU1T8NwVxhNzWJRN7vqM889rugNDCxQfCPNu12eZFHIZDSbHhSKnpR~dJpR7sFR-l5w2vxH8yLdspvQkovRdd84TxXLP~bL-UVt8n3nXoSOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bonnie Foster, Brookings city clerk, told the City Council that recent changes to state law require local officials to be aware of new open-meetings definitions and procedures tied to Senate Bill 74 and chapter 1-25 of the South Dakota Codified Laws.

Foster said the changes clarify that an \"official meeting\" requires a quorum — defined for the council as more than half of seated members — and that teleconference communications (including email, text, social media, Zoom or other conference calls) can create the appearance of an unpublicized meeting if multiple members participate. She advised council members to use BCC on group emails to avoid accidental group discussions being visible to recipients.

The presentation emphasized three specific exceptions that are not considered a public meeting: attending a press conference, attending events hosted by other governmental or nongovernmental entities (for which the council commonly posts a notice that a quorum may be present but no action will be taken), and other narrowly defined circumstances. Foster noted that regular meeting agendas and supporting documents are public records once posted, and that staff normally handles required postings and public-access logistics.

On recording, Foster said members of the public may record regularly scheduled meetings from the audience and do not need to notify the council so long as the recording is obvious and not disruptive; meetings held in executive session are not recordable. She said first-class cities should maintain audio recordings and that video is generally optional. Foster also pointed to chapter 9 of state law as providing an additional executive-session exception for certain economic-development matters and said the city attorney will be consulted whenever the council considers going into closed session.

Foster closed by offering printed copies of an updated brochure prepared by the South Dakota Attorney General's office and said staff will keep the council informed as further clarifications or guidance become available.

The clerk's presentation took place during the council's regular meeting; council members asked procedural questions during the presentation and thanked staff for providing the briefing.","City Clerk Bonnie Foster briefed the Brookings City Council on changes tied to Senate Bill 74 and chapter 1-25 of state law, covering teleconference rules, quorum guidance, recordkeeping and executive-session exceptions.","actionData","errors"]

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Brookings council discusses choice of June or November municipal elections under new state law

Brookings city clerk reviews updates to South Dakota open-meeting laws