South Dakota’s recent legislative change, signed into law by Governor Larry Rhoden, now requires new voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in state elections. This new mandate, encapsulated in Senate Bill 175, focuses solely on state elections and impacts only those registering anew. Current registered voters in South Dakota are not required to furnish proof to maintain their voting status nor when updating personal information such as name and address.
The enactment of SB 175 has sparked comparisons with the federal SAVE Act, though notable distinctions exist. Unlike the SAVE Act, which pertains to federal elections and necessitates a birth certificate as evidence of citizenship, SB 175 applies exclusively to state elections in South Dakota and allows a broader range of documentation. Acceptable proofs under SB 175 include certain driver’s licenses or state IDs, Tribal IDs, birth certificates, U.S. passports, naturalization certificates, and similar federal documents. Those unable to provide the necessary proof or who list only a mailing address may still participate in federal races.
The legal framework has been implemented with immediacy due to an emergency clause accompanying the bill’s signing. Officials, including those from the Governor’s Office and the Secretary of State’s Office, alongside five state agencies, have been diligently executing the new requirements since the legislative passage. An examination of administrative procedures has led to updates: county auditors now verify citizenship documents, election ballots for federal voters are constrained, and statutes have undergone modifications or repeals to conform with the new stipulations. Additional details can be explored here.
The move represents an effort to strengthen the integrity of state electoral processes, promoting transparency and accountability. However, the legislation intersects with debates around voter accessibility and election security, a topic of recurrent national dialogue as reported by various news outlets.