State Senators are passing a bill that moves the nomination of two constitutional officers from party conventions to the primary ballot.
It’s an idea that’s surfaced in the Capitol several times the last two sessions.
The bill also allows the governor to pick their lieutenant governor candidate.
The move is a response, in part, to the outcome of the 2022 Republican convention.
Then, efforts to unseat Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden and nominate Gov. Kristi Noem’s gubernatorial primary challenger Steve Haugaard as her running mate.
Incumbent Secretary of State Steve Barnett lost his seat to challenger Monae Johnson. Attorney General Marty Jackley almost lost his bid to a candidate who had announced their candidacy a month before the convention.
That candidate was former Division of Criminal Investigation head David Natvig. A meeting that served as the basis for one of two impeachment articles against former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg took place in Natvig’s office.
Republican State Senator Lee Schoenbeck is pushing the bill. He said it puts the candidate decision into the hands of the state’s voters. He points to the number of people weighing in on Republican candidates.
“Instead of letting those 120,000 South Dakota Republicans have a say, we turn it over to a convention that has—on its best day—800. Usually, more like 300,” Schoenbeck said.
Schoenbeck said that needs to change.
For two constitutional officers, the bill requires candidates get signatures totaling one percent of the last vote for governor.
Critics of the change say the current system forces candidates to interact with people across the state. If passed, they worry candidates will make the ballot by only collecting signatures in the state’s two largest cities.
The bill passed 20 to 13. It now heads to the House, where similar bills have failed already this session.
The last effort lost by three votes. Backers of the bill say several house members have had a “change of heart” following a recent Republican central committee meeting earlier this month.
