A Sioux Falls resident votes in the city and school board election at Southern Hills United Methodist Church on April 9, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
Ballot question campaigns in South Dakota had collectively spent about $7 million this year by their Oct. 21 reporting deadline, according to a South Dakota Searchlight analysis, and they’ve likely spent millions more since then that won’t be fully disclosed until the next spending reports in January.
There are seven statewide ballot questions under consideration by South Dakotans in the Nov. 5 general election.
Groups campaigning for an open primary system were the top spenders as of the deadline, committing approximately $1.6 million to sway voters toward a “yes” on Amendment H . The amendment would change future primary elections so that all candidates, regardless of party, would be on a single ballot open to all voters. The top two vote-getters would advance to the general election. The top four would advance in races with two winners, such as state House districts.