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Bill

HB 1087

prohibit the use of paid petition circulators.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Travis Ismay

South Dakota HB 1087 bans paid petition circulators, requiring all ballot initiative signatures be gathered by unpaid volunteers only.

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Bill Summary · HB 1087

Legislative bill overview

HB 1087 would prohibit campaign organizations and ballot measure proponents from paying individuals to circulate petitions for initiative, referendum, or recall efforts in South Dakota. This means petition gathering would need to be conducted entirely by volunteers rather than paid signature collectors.

Why is this important

Petition circulators are crucial to getting ballot measures and recalls on the ballot—paid circulators significantly increase the capacity to gather signatures. This bill would substantially raise barriers for ballot access, particularly affecting organizations with limited volunteer bases or less grassroots mobilization capacity, while potentially advantaging well-established groups with strong volunteer networks.

Potential points of contention

  • Free speech implications: Critics argue paid petition circulation is a form of political speech protected by the First Amendment; similar bans have faced legal challenges in other states
  • Equity concerns: The restriction may disproportionately disadvantage underrepresented groups, grassroots movements, and newer political organizations that rely on paid staff rather than volunteer networks
  • Petition authenticity: Proponents contend paid circulators may have weaker incentives to verify voter registration or signature validity, though evidence on this is mixed
  • Democratic access: Debate over whether the bill protects petition integrity or simply makes it harder for citizens to put measures on the ballot through direct democracy mechanisms

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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