PRESS RELEASE: South Dakota Open Primaries Campaign Launches West River Signature Drive
For Immediate Release
May 17, 2023
Contact:
South Dakota Open Primaries
Email: media@sdopenprimaries.org
Call or text: 605-223-1606
sdopenprimaries.org
South Dakota Open Primaries Campaign Launches West River Signature Drive
Rapid City, SD – Local leaders of the 2024 open primaries ballot initiative campaign have launched their West River signature drive.
The proposed ballot initiative would amend the state constitution to establish open primary elections for Governor, Congress, the State Legislature, and county elective offices. In an open primary election, all candidates compete in a single primary open to all voters regardless of party affiliation.
“Open primaries gives all voters, including independents like me, a chance to vote in a meaningful way,” said Nick Reid, a registered independent and local business owner. “And it will also result in better candidates and more informed voters.”
Supporters cited the high number of uncontested legislative races in the 2022 General Election as a reason to back the initiative.
“I think this reform is desperately needed given the following statistic – 21 of 35 state senators ran unopposed last year,” said Nicole Heenan, registered independent and former District 32 State Senate candidate. “Open primary elections will encourage more people to take part in one of the most American things there is – participating in a government by and for the people.”
Campaign leaders also mentioned low voter turnout rates as a reason to allow all voters to participate in primary elections.
“In the 2022 election, 59.4 percent of our South Dakotans voted, but Pennington County’s turnout was 53.6 percent – only 6 counties in the state had a lower voter turnout,” said Chuck Parkinson, registered Republican, former Congressional staffer, and former Reagan administration official. “Open primaries will not be the cure-all or end-all. It will, however, make voting easier, encourage more people to vote, especially young people and independents, and it will encourage moderation in candidates leading us back to governing from the middle.”
It was also noted that under an open primary system, South Dakota voters would no longer be forced to join a political party in order to express themselves at the ballot box.
“I am a registered Republican but I don’t identify as conservative and frankly, it’s often not how I vote,” said Holly Knox Perli, registered Republican and nurse. “But I changed my party registration to Republican so that I could have a voice in our elections. I’m sure there are other South Dakotans who are doing the exact same thing. But that shouldn’t be the case – a voter should not be required to join a political party in order to fully participate in the electoral process.”
The campaign is currently training volunteer circulators across the state. Supporters are encouraged to visit sdopenprimaries.org to get involved.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The proposed ballot initiative would establish open primary elections for the following races in South Dakota: U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Governor, State Legislature, and county elective offices. In each race, all the candidates would compete in a single primary open to all South Dakota voters. The two candidates that receive the most votes would advance to the general election. The ballot would continue to indicate the party affiliation, or lack thereof, for each candidate.
If there is more than one candidate to be elected to an office, the number of candidates advancing to the general election would be twice the number to be elected (for South Dakota State Representative races, the top four candidates would advance from the primary).
Here is an example of how a gubernatorial election would work under an open primary elections system. If six candidates ran for Governor – two Republicans, two Democrats, a Libertarian, and an independent – then they would compete in a single primary. The top two candidates with the most votes would advance to the general election in November. The general election therefore could feature a Republican and a Democrat, the two Republicans, a Republican and the independent, a Republican and the Libertarian, or any other combination of candidates chosen by voters in the primary.
In order to qualify for the November 2024 ballot, the initiative sponsors must collect valid signatures from 35,017 registered South Dakota voters and submit their petitions to the South Dakota Secretary of State by May 7, 2024.
More information is available on the campaign’s website: sdopenprimaries.org
The full text of the initiative can be viewed here: sdopenprimaries.org/initiative-text
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