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Bill

SB 91

revise the requirements for a petition to initiate a measure or constitutional amendment or to refer a law.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jessica Bahmuller and 5 co-sponsors

SB 91 modifies South Dakota's petition requirements for ballot measures and constitutional amendments, affecting signature thresholds and submission procedures for citizen-initiated direct democracy.

Signed by the Governor on 2025-03-31 S.J. 539
#ballotmeasures #constitutionalamendments #elections #initiatedmeasures #petitions
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 91

Legislative bill overview

SB 91 revises the procedural requirements for citizens to petition the South Dakota government to initiate ballot measures, constitutional amendments, or refer laws to voters. The bill modifies signature collection thresholds, validation processes, and submission deadlines for these direct democracy mechanisms. The changes affect how citizens can directly influence state policy outside the legislative process.

Why is this important

Direct democracy tools like ballot measures and referendums are fundamental mechanisms through which citizens can bypass the legislature and directly shape policy. Altering the requirements for these petitions directly impacts whether ordinary citizens can feasibly exercise this democratic right or whether barriers become prohibitively high. The specifics of these changes determine whether direct democracy remains accessible to grassroots movements or becomes more difficult to utilize.

Potential points of contention

  • Signature threshold changes – Any increase in required signatures makes ballot access harder for citizen groups with limited resources, potentially favoring well-funded interests; any decrease may reduce the representative quality of measures
  • Validation and verification processes – Stricter signature validation could invalidate legitimate petitions due to technical errors, while looser standards might allow fraudulent signatures to pass scrutiny
  • Timeline modifications – Shortened submission deadlines could disadvantage volunteer-driven campaigns, while extended deadlines might delay voter consideration of time-sensitive issues

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

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