Polls

South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden has proposed allowing counties to implement a half-percent sales tax to help fund property tax reductions for homeowners. The plan would shift some of the property tax burden to consumers, including tourists, by increasing sales tax in participating counties. Supporters say it could save homeowners hundreds of dollars annually, while critics argue it increases sales tax and changes longstanding tax policy. Do you agree with this proposal?

Gov. Rhoden is considering bills that would change voting eligibility rules for full-time travelers and RV voters. HB 1066 would require a person to have spent 30 consecutive days at a single physical location in SD at some point in their life to be legally eligible to vote in the state. HB 1208 would allow people with a SD mailbox address but no physical abode or proof of a 30-day stay to register for a federal-only absentee ballot, limited to candidates for president, U.S. senator and rep. If only 1066 is signed into law, full-time travelers who use SD as their residency state could lose access to all absentee ballots unless they can prove a 30-day stay in a single location. Do you support these proposed changes to South Dakota’s voting laws?

A resolution passed by the SD legislature in recent weeks will eventually ask voters to increase the approval threshold for constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60%. The measure will appear on the general election ballot in November 2026. Do you agree with this increase?

Additional info-

Supporters said the change is necessary to protect the state’s constitution from being amended by outside interests and prevent policy from being inserted into a document that’s intended only to stipulate the structure and powers of the government.
Rep. John Hughes, R-Sioux Falls, sponsored the resolution.

“Our constitution is more than a statute,” Hughes said in a statement. “It is a contract between the state itself and the people that assures us that if we live here, raise our families here, worship here, and conduct our vacations here, we can count on certain core values remaining constant.”

Opponents said initiated constitutional amendments are necessary because lawmakers sometimes refuse to adopt a popular policy, and because lawmakers can repeal or amend a regular initiative on their own but can’t change the constitution without public approval. They said raising the threshold would make it significantly harder for South Dakotans to amend their constitution.
Opponents also alleged that the measure is an attempt to stifle citizen-driven initiatives and would ensure that only proposals with backing from powerful political and financial groups can succeed.

Source: https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/03/17/legislature-approves-several-new-restrictions-on-citizen-ballot-measures/

The South Dakota Senate recently passed a bill that would prohibit transgender individuals from using public restrooms and changing rooms that align with their gender identity. The legislation applies to state-owned properties and public entities such as schools, requiring multi-occupancy restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters to be designated exclusively for males or females based on biological sex. Do you agree with this measure?

A bill that would have allocated $763 million from the state’s prison construction fund for the project recently failed in the South Dakota House. Supporters argue the new facility is needed to address overcrowding and outdated conditions, while opponents cite the high cost and question the need for a new prison. Do you support the construction of a new men’s prison in Lincoln County?

Last week, the South Dakota House advanced a bill that would remove legal protections for libraries, schools, museums, and their employees if children access books that meet the legal definition of “harmful to minors.” Without these protections, librarians and educators could face prosecution, up to a year in jail, and a $2,000 fine. Do you support this bill?

With multiple plane crashes in the last several weeks, including another one early this week, are you now more hesitant to fly?

A SD Senate committee advanced a bill Monday that would allow people to carry concealed pistols on technical college and public university campuses. Policies in both systems currently prohibit guns and other dangerous weapons on campus. Would you support such a bill?

New District 1 Representative Logan Manhart recently introduced HB 1201. The bill would require school counselors or staff to notify a student's parent or guardian when providing direct counseling services. Notification would also be required if new topics arise during sessions or if discussions involve subjects such as gender identity, gender dysphoria, homosexuality, or transsexuality. Would you support his bill?

Last week, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Director of National Intelligence and other relevant officials to present a plan within 15 days for the full and complete release of all John F. Kennedy assassination records. Do you agree with the Trump administration's decision to release classified documents surrounding JFK's assassination?

This week, in a wave of pardons during the transition between President Biden and former President Trump, Trump granted clemency to approximately 1,500 individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. This move fulfilled his long-standing promise to pardon those involved. Do you agree with his decision to grant these pardons?

Both locally and nationwide, there has been a lot of discussion about library materials in schools in the recent months and years. Considering your own local school districts, are you concerned about library materials that are housed at and hosted by your school, including online materials, to the point you think some should be reassessed and possibly blocked?