Signs point the way to a polling place at the Sioux Falls downtown library during the primary election on June 4, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
Amendment H is being touted as an electoral reform that would open up the primary system and give all voters a voice in choosing candidates. For South Dakotans who value real choice, transparent elections and political stability, Amendment H is a dangerous proposal that threatens to undermine the very principles that have made our state a model of effective governance.
Under the current system, the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties can hold primaries, allowing party members to vote in their elections (independents can vote in the Democratic or Libertarian primary). This ensures that those who align with the party’s values get to decide its leadership. Amendment H would eliminate this system, creating a single, open primary where all candidates — regardless of party — appear on the same ballot, and the top two vote-getters move on to the general election. This might sound like an inclusive reform, but it carries severe consequences for voters across the political spectrum.