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House approves bill creating 'national voter' classification; limits PO‑box‑only registrants to federal ballots
Summary
The South Dakota House on Feb. 12 passed a bill defining residency for voting and creating a ‘national voter’ category that limits registrants who provide only post office boxes to ballots for federal contests.
The South Dakota House passed House Bill 1208 on Feb. 12, creating a new definition of “resident” for voting purposes and establishing a “national voter” classification for registrants who provide only a post office box or otherwise cannot demonstrate a local residence description.
Representative Keiser, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure is intended to address what he described as a growing number of registrants who claim South Dakota residency while living elsewhere and to protect local elections. Under the language adopted, a resident must “maintain an actual fixed permanent dwelling or establishment where the individual lives and usually sleeps for at least 30 consecutive days.” Keiser described the 30‑day standard as a clear, objective threshold and said the measure would direct persons who are registered at a PO box with no residential description to receive a federal‑only ballot (a “national ballot”).
Debate on the floor focused on several recurring concerns: members representing rural districts said many constituents rely on PO boxes for mail delivery yet have stable local residences; representatives raised questions about homeless voters, workers who sleep in alternate locations during the week, and teachers or health‑care workers with dual addresses. Representative Reimer asked why the bill did not explicitly include the existing county auditor review process for incomplete registration applications; Keiser replied that the auditors’ current review duties remain unchanged and that the bill’s effect applies when a person requests a ballot going forward.
Representative Emery and others said the PO‑box provisions risk disenfranchising legitimate rural voters; supporters said the bill still allows registrants to describe a habitation location and that federal ballot rules would apply where required by federal law.
The House approved the bill on a recorded vote of 46 ayes, 22 nays and 1 excused. The sponsor and several members asked for follow‑up work and study to resolve implementation details; the bill will move forward in the legislative process.
