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This comes as a surprise. On their website today, the newspaper for the Pierre/Ft. Pierre area has announced that it’s changing to a once a week publication :

South Dakota Cannabis Legalization Campaign Submits 29,030 Signatures to South Dakota Secretary of State 

The group is seeking to place an initiated measure on the November 2024 ballot that would legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older 

Pierre, SD – Today, South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws, the political group that led the 2020 and 2022 campaigns to legalize cannabis in South Dakota, submitted petitions containing 29,030 signatures in support of its proposed ballot initiative to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older.

“Today is the culmination of seven months of hard work by advocates and volunteers across South Dakota,” said Matthew Schweich, executive director of South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws. “We are very confident that we have collected enough signatures from registered voters to qualify for this November’s ballot.”

In South Dakota, an initiated measure requires 17,508 signatures from registered voters in order to qualify for the ballot. Today is the deadline for submitting petitions to South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson.

“Things all seem to be moving in the right direction for South Dakota to finally win the freedom they voted for a few years ago,” said Deb Peters, President of the Cannabis Industry Association of South Dakota. “At the federal level, things are moving towards a responsible rescheduling and dozens of states are seeing the tax benefits of recreational cannabis legalization. It’s inspiring to see this industry come together and work so hard. We’re looking forward to Election Day. “

In 2020, South Dakota became the first state in the country to legalize medical cannabis and adult-use cannabis in the same election. Following the 2020 election, Governor Noem orchestrated a lawsuit that ultimately repealed the legalization law approved by 54% of voters in a highly controversial ruling. At the same time, advocates were able to defeat Governor Noem’s legislative attempt to delay implementation of the medical cannabis policy.

“The effects of Governor Noem’s actions, including leading the lawsuit against Amendment A, have left a lot of South Dakotans feeling as though their votes do not matter,” said Quincy Hanzen, deputy director of South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws. “If this initiative qualifies for the ballot, we hope South Dakota voters will show up on November 5th and make their voice heard.”

Having received the petitions, South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson will now oversee a review of the signatures and determine whether the proposed initiated measure has qualified for the ballot. A decision is expected in the next several weeks.

To read the full text of the initiative, visit: https://sdbml.org/text

# # #

Oh wow.

District 17 Republican Legislative candidate Robin Schiro was just at the Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company’s Legislative forum today and claims that while she was in jail for 4 1/2 days, she was tortured with electricity, and raped while in jail.

But don’t take my word for it. Starting at about 8:30 in the video, you can watch and listen for yourself:

Wow. Just wow.

It’s a jungle out there. Or, it looks like the jungle primary might be moving towards trying to get on the ballot as after backing from out-of-state interests, as the group has managed to pull together enough petition signatures on their 3rd, 4th? run at it to get on the ballot for another try:

Backers of each ballot measure said they’re turning in petitions this week, bringing the number of measures on the ballot or pending for addition to the ballot to six, with potential remaining for more. The deadline to submit petitions for a new law or law change is Tuesday. The deadline to refer a law passed by the Legislature to the ballot is June 25.

and..

He said the group (SD Open Primaries) is submitting about 46,000 signatures to the secretary of state, surpassing the 35,017 signatures required for a proposed constitutional amendment.

and..

The initiative to legalize adult recreational marijuana use in the state has more than enough signatures and will be submitted around noon Tuesday, according to Matthew Schweich, who is leading the effort. He said the group has yet to count its signatures, but it has a “good, healthy buffer,” beyond the 17,508 needed for proposed laws not amending the state constitution.

Read that here.

From a read of the article, the anti-ethanol group trying to repeal the landowner bill of rights also claim to be “confident they will collect the 17,508 it needs.”  But that’s assuming a lot.

What we need to watch for this election is a higher likelihood of change coming at us with regards to the measures that were turned in this week.

The Jungle Primary ballot measure has a significant infusions of out-of-state cash into the effort which means that they may – emphasis on may – be able to run a competent campaign this year, unlike in the past. But while the State Republican Party is directly expressing their opposition to the effort, one boost the jungle primary may find they have is the schism within the Republican party itself.

Despite promises that the Republican party would find internal solutions as opposed to legislative solutions to issues during the last couple of elections with how the Lt. Governor and some constitutional officers were chosen, and the lack of representative governing by precinct people as South Dakota one of the last outliers of the nominees for those positions being chosen by a handful of activists at convention; solutions just have not happened.

With the rejection of the proposed legislative fix of all, or a few constitutional offices being elected among all Republicans in the state, there is a weariness among a number of Republicans to keep fighting the fight against the jungle primary measure. While they aren’t willing to be active supporters, there are those Republicans who have watched promises of internal party fixes pass on by enough that they just simply aren’t going to fight the jungle primary anymore, and are just as happy to vote for it because it does something to shake up a system that seems broken, but lacks sufficient momentum for reforms.

I’ve spoken with more than one solid long-time Republican who have told me privately that they’re going to vote for it, because nothing else seems to have worked. It might be the confluence between cash and internal strife that could put it over.

Recreational Marijuana also seems to also have added momentum this year. With South Dakota a couple years in on the legalization of Medical Marijuana, and the earth hasn’t ended, it may be pot’s year. What’s different?  The spotlight is off of the Bob Newland’s and Melissa Mentele’s of the legalization movement and on the Deb Peters’, Kittrich Jeffries, Jeremiah Murphy’s and Dan Lederman’s of the business world who invest in it. It’s not about using. It’s about making money.

With legislators forming a framework under which the industry operates – and it is an industry now – outside of the open fields around Belle Fourche there has not been strong opposition, and despite further modification of the laws which brought it into effect, the medical industry survives, and they are hungry for the opportunities that expanding to fully legal would provide.

With South Dakota nestled between legalization states Minnesota and Montana, which are 2 of 24 that are legal, and North Dakota and Nebraska having decriminalized it to a point. Not to mention the US moving to allow it to be dispensed by prescription, and further relaxation of generational opposition as years go by, it may or may not be the year that South Dakota goes fully legal.

But they may stand a better chance now than in the past.

Keep your eyes on the ballot box. The election is growing more interesting as days pass.

Blink-and-you-missed-him Congressional explorer Toby Doeden might have sprinted away from challenging Dusty Johnson (can he sprint?) once it was revealed that he had never voted in a Republican primary over the last couple of decades, but it hasn’t put a damper on his sense of self-importance.

I had heard that he had actually attended his first Lincoln Day Dinner in Brown County a few weeks back where he was treated to listening to current Congressman and Republican Nominee Dusty Johnson give a rousing speech that energized the whole crowd. Doeden had a table, but for some reason he kept pacing and hovering by the back door. Apparently he must have been uncomfortable in a room with actual Republicans.

Anyway, if you recall, back in February, Doeden had declared he was going to endorse candidates, and had started with Fred Deutsch, who had quickly noped out of that one.  After that false start, it looks like Doeden is back pretending to be Republican by declaring his love for specific candidates running in the Republican Primary.

Since Doeden’s political activity has continued to be a dumpster fire, I think we can refer to these newly endorsed candidates as “Doeden’s Dumpster Divers,” since I’m sure they’re all going to be looking for a check from Aberdeen’s Covid welfare king.

Who are Doeden’s Dumpster Divers?  After going through a “vigorous vetting process to ensure they are bold conservatives,” included among their numbers are..

Did they say “bold,” when they meant “old?”  Well of course Carl Perry is there. I suspect that he’s included among the dumpster diver endorsees because Toby recognizes a good “yes man” when he sees one. Although, Carl might have to ask Al if it’s ok.

If there is one candidate running in the state who embodies the values of Toby Doeden, that would be Tom Pischke.  I’m told Tom may have left his position at esurance and is a full-time landlord now, which would endear him to Doeden. Plus, Tom’s embracing of xenobiotic electromagnetism and chemtrail conspiracies, and committee vote to keep those with rape convictions in the classroom, help fuel the dumpster fire to greater heights.

Where do I start with former Neal Tapio campaign worker Cole Heisey? It’s such a long list. Whether it’s rallying with the proud boys, Or telling the world that monogamy is outdated and declaring:

Out of millions of souls, one is bound to one only?  When so many have so much to offer?  Don’t we restrict ourselves by combining only two?  And not three and four?

Read that here.

I’ll just stop there, because any more and we might need to be hosed down with penicillin.

Who are the other endorsees?  You’ll also find D23 Senate Candidate Mark Lapka, as well as D1 House Candidates Logan Manhart and Christopher Reder.  Although, they might want to reconsider and not just walk, but run away from being another endangered raccoon in the flaming dumpster.

That’s the view from driving by the dumpster fire.  Best not to linger too long.

“Vote for Earl” with Earl depicted as a NPC, whether intentional or not.

Coming from Meade County, this is one way to stand out from the Red, White & Blue signs peppering the fence lines. There’s so much wrong with it (Dist 4 more prominent than the first name, disclaimer?), but it gave me a laugh, but as the person who sent it to me said “I’m probably going to vote for him because it’s different.”

Well, getting noticed is what counts.

Unmasking A Trojan Horse: The Battle for Election Integrity in Lawrence County
A Call to Scrutinize Mark Mowry’s Candidacy
By Samuel R. Kephart, Lawrence County

The cornerstone of our democracy rests on the integrity of our elections, an integrity that begins with the authenticity of candidates and their motives.

It’s critical voters engage in deeper due diligence regarding the individuals they choose to represent them, especially when considering candidates like Mark Mowry, a self-proclaimed conservative Republican vying for the position of State Representative for Lawrence County/District 31.

Mowry’s candidacy raises a plethora of red flags demanding our scrutiny.

First and foremost, one must question the real reasons behind his pursuit of public office. Mowry has publicly stated that he was “recruited” to run.

Who stands to benefit from (much less control) his candidacy?

Such details are not just political minutiae – they are central to understanding the forces at play within our local political landscape.

Complicating Mowry’s dubious claim to the conservative Republican mantle are his voter registration records, which reveal a political chameleon who has swung from Democrat to Independent and now to Republican:

5/17/1996 Democrat – Lyman, 10/16/2014 Independent – Lyman, 11/24/15 Republican – Custer, 5/7/7/2016 Democrat – Custer, 2/19/2018 Independent – Lawrence, 4/23/2021 Republican – Lawrence. 

In a recent streaming video interview, Mowry himself openly admitted to not having much of a Republican Party background… and twice expressed his aversion to the GOP super-majority in Pierre. How can someone, who provably lacks consistency in his political affiliations and openly critiques the party’s legislative dominance, genuinely claim to represent conservative Republican values?

Further, Mowry’s time spent abroad also raises questions about his connection and commitment to the needs of our district. How can a candidate who has spent a substantial amount of time outside the country (he returned from India this March) truly understand and advocate for the local interests of Lawrence County?

What’s most alarming is the shadowy undercurrent suggesting Mowry’s primary candidacy is not about serving the public’s interest but rather about serving a clandestine group of political puppeteers determined to oust an existing candidate for inexplicable reasons.

Don’t be deceived by a group of wolves in sheep’s clothing, who parade Trojan Horse candidates before us in a bid to overthrow a genuine, hard-working representative who has have proven their dedication to our community.

As voters, it’s our duty to peel back the layers, ask the hard questions, and ensure those who seek to represent us are doing so with the purest of motives and a genuine commitment to our values and needs.

Beware, voters, of the hidden machinations within our local political landscape; stand firm against blatant attempts to undermine the integrity of our elections by those seeking to insert puppet candidates into positions of power.

Election integrity begins with transparency, authenticity, and true dedication coming from those who wish to serve, ensuring our democracy remains by the people and for the people.

Samuel R. Kephart
Spearfish

Spent part of Saturday heading across the northern expanse of District 8 along highway 14. And after driving through all those counties, I can’t help but ask, what ever happened to Rick Weible running for State Senate?

Because along the entire route, this is what I saw whenever I saw a political sign:

Reisch, Crabtree, and Walburg signs.  Maybe there were a couple outgrowths of Republican signs in the District without one of them there, but literally in every instance, there they were as a trio, as these were along the main drag in Lake Preston.   I will note I saw 1, maybe 2 Matt Wagner signs around Arlington. But with those exceptions, it was all Reisch, Crabtree and Walburg.   And absolutely no Rick Weible signs.

It’s like the man isn’t in the race.  Or, as noted by an event Weible’s campaign’s facebook site said he’s holding:

1 person going.

Based on Rick’s performance so far, I’m not thinking this campaign is going much further.

Not at all.

As ambitious politicians try to jockey for position, I had an observant reader out there point out the campaign that no one is asking for.  And it leads me to wonder, are South Dakota Republicans actually out there demanding this kind of mediocrity?

Garnering 33 likes and 40 followers out on facebook in the 15 months it has been out there, the “Draft Jon Hansen for SD Governor” effort might have attracted the attention of Carl Perry during the intervening months, but the number of supporters it has attracted seem pretty far and few between otherwise.

As you recall, Hansen rose to the level of being the Speaker Pro Tempore in the House of Representatives in 2021-2022… and stalled out there. And he seems to jump on every anti- bandwagon he can for attention, including the anti-vaxxer movement, the anti-pipeline movement, and the anti-abortion movement.

With this not so subtle hint that Hansen might have ambitions to that office, it kind of makes one wonder what’s going to happen to the mailing list for the Hansen-led Life Defense Fund after this years’ campaign is over?  (Is there a provision to un-sign with that group too)?

Republican candidate for district 9 State house, Kristi Golden is having a fundraiser on Tuesday, May 7 at Shenanigans Sports Bar and Grill:

Come on out on Tuesday and support Kristi!