South Dakota’s voter rolls experienced a significant reduction of hundreds of individuals amid the ongoing general election, following an error made by a government agency regarding the citizenship status of these residents on an official form.
On Monday, the state’s Department of Public Safety announced that it had removed 273 individuals identified as “noncitizens.” This action was described as part of a review process aimed at preserving the integrity of South Dakota’s electoral system and preventing unauthorized voter registration.
Initially, the state did not clarify the reason behind the removal of these individuals from the voter rolls. However, Rachel Soulek, the director of the state Division of Elections, later explained that the removals were the result of a mistake made by state employees. She indicated that these individuals had been incorrectly registered due to human error, specifically related to mislabeling their citizenship status.
A representative from the South Dakota attorney general’s office confirmed that they had been made aware of the situation.
Monae Johnson, the Republican Secretary of State, emphasized the importance of maintaining electoral integrity in her statement. She expressed pride in the diligent efforts made to secure South Dakota’s voter rolls and highlighted the collaborative work with the Department of Public Safety to rectify the issue. Johnson reiterated the ongoing commitment to ensuring that only eligible citizens participate in elections.
The decision to remove voters drew criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, which previously urged for the reinstatement of the affected voters. The organization condemned the removals, arguing that they violated the National Voter Registration Act, which mandates that systematic voter-list maintenance should be completed at least 90 days prior to federal elections.
ACLU spokesperson Janna Farley noted that the organization is awaiting a reply from Johnson’s office concerning a letter sent earlier this week that posed several questions regarding the situation. Until a response is received, Farley refrained from offering further commentary.
South Dakota is home to approximately 682,000 registered voters, with over 617,000 considered active by Johnson’s office.
Additionally, South Dakota was among the first states to initiate early voting for the upcoming November general election, with absentee voting commencing on September 20.
In the fall, voters in South Dakota will have the opportunity to decide on several significant ballot proposals, including the protection of abortion rights, legalization of marijuana, and the repeal of the state food tax.
