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Senate approves SB 22 to change nominating petition timelines; moves filing earlier and tightens submission rules
Summary
Senate Bill 22, an agency bill from the Secretary of State, was amended and approved on final consideration. The bill moves the start date for taking nominating petitions earlier and requires petitions to be received in office by the new deadline rather than postmarked.
Pierre, S.D. — The South Dakota Senate approved Senate Bill 22 on final consideration Thursday after adopting an amendment, changing the statutory timeline and submission requirements for nominating petitions.
Senator Melhoff, who presented the amendment 22B, said the bill "was brought to us by the Secretary of State's office" and described the principal substantive change: petition circulation may begin Dec. 1 instead of Dec. 31, and petitions must be received in the office by 5 p.m. on the third Tuesday of March rather than being accepted by registered mail postmarked by that time. "That's the primary thrust of this bill," Melhoff said on the floor.
Amendment 22B was offered, seconded and adopted by voice vote before the Senate moved to a roll call for final passage. The Senate journal recorded a roll-call vote resulting in 18 yeas and 17 nays; the chair declared SB 22 passed.
Ending: The bill changes statutory petition timelines and tightens the submission rule from allowing postmark compliance to an in-office receipt standard; it will move forward in the legislative process after enrollment.
