In Rapid City, former City Councilman Jason Salamun eclipsed the rest of the field and will be the new mayor by fewer than 300 votes after other candidates seemed to split the vote against Laura Armstrong who came in second.

According to the Rapid City Journal,

Salamun unofficially took 32% of voters with 4,888 votes Tuesday, topping Laura Armstrong by only 269 votes.

and..

Unofficial results show Laura Armstrong came in second with 4,619 votes, Ron Weifenbach third with 2,999, Brad Estes fourth with 2,769, and Josh Lyle with 150.

Read that here.

Brad Estes was by far the strongest fundraiser, but as one observer noted to me, he just did not have an effective stage presence in debates.

This race might be characterized by – surprisingly – not being a complete circus sideshow. Which is doing pretty good for Rapid City.

On the other hand, we have the school board race…

The race for a new Mayor in Chamberlain had another big blowout last night where (yes, it’s on a non-partisan ballot) Republican Monte Claussen trounced Democrat Tim Thomas on a vote of 230-170, with the winner receiving over 57% of the vote.

This race got a little attention in that it had the winning candidate running a modern campaign, while the losing one.. well they didn’t.  For example, One ran a couple of ads like this throughout the race..

And the one who lost had a single ad a couple days before the election that was this kind of mess.

Good note to others who are thinking of running for office.. you have to plan and run a serious campaign. Or not. And see how that goes.

 

The Pierre School Board had an election this evening for one of its school board seats, the one currently held by former Jefferson school elementary principal Dan Cronin.

And if the numbers are at all telling, it appears Cronin may be enjoying the most lopsided victory in tonight’s elections across the state.

With a gap of just under 900 votes between incumbent Cronin and his challenger, newcomer Jason Muldoon, who was supported by the local chapter of “Moms for Liberty” (and married to the vice-chair of the group) failed to pull even 20% against Cronin who dominated with over 79%.

This war by proxy by the Moms for Liberty against Cronin forgot what the most important thing in a campaign is.. first and foremost, name ID.  While they waged war against reading scores, and tried to point a finger against incumbents in general for it, they offered someone nobody in town knew against Dan Cronin – someone EVERYONE in Pierre knows (and likes).

Sometimes you need to read the room.

And name ID matters.

Governor Noem Appoints Randy Frederick and Randy Rasmussen to Board of Regents

 PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced that she will appoint Randy Frederick and Randy Rasmussen to serve on the South Dakota Board of Regents.

“The Board of Regents must revitalize the institutions under its control and to lead the nation by example. Together, we will work to provide an education that truly prepares our kids for the world they are entering without indoctrinating them with harmful, divisive ideologies,” said Governor Noem. “I look forward to working with these folks to set an example to the nation of what strong higher education can look like.”

Improving higher education has been a top priority for Governor Noem. Last month, she challenged the Board of Regents to take action towards strengthening higher education in the state of South Dakota. The governor’s full letter to the Board can be read here. In the letter, Governor Noem also launched a new whistleblower hotline for students, faculty, parents, and taxpayers to report concerns at institutions of higher education in the state.

Randy Frederick served for 12 years in the South Dakota State Legislature and was the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee for six years. He was also a member of Governor Rounds’ transition team and a Legislative Task Force Member. A photo of Frederick can be found here.

“I would like to thank Governor Noem for the opportunity to serve the great people of our state,” said Randy Frederick. “Free speech has been under attack at too many universities across the nation. I am dedicated to preserving American values at South Dakota’s higher education institutions.”

Randy Rasmussen has been a resident of Vermilion, South Dakota for almost 50 years. He worked in a family business for most of those years, and has had the pleasure of interacting with employees, students, and family members of the University of South Dakota community. Rasmussen graduated from the University of South Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and from Grand Canyon University with a master’s degree in business administration. He is currently the payroll supervisor for HoChunk, Inc. A photo of Rasmussen can be found here.

“I am grateful to Governor Noem for giving me the chance to serve higher education in South Dakota,” said Randy Rasmussen. “Higher education should teach students to think critically, independently, and form their own conclusions. Students need a curriculum that not only prepares them for a career, but gives them solid understanding of civic virtue that allows them to contribute to their community in a representative republic.”

Randy Frederick will replace Jim Thares. Randy Rasmussen will serve out the remainder of the term for the seat that John Bastian has been holding since his previous term expired. Pursuant to SDCL 13-49-3, Board of Regents members continue to serve until a new board member is appointed by the Governor following the expiration of their term.

Information on the Board of Regents can be found here.

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The Brown County Republican party has an item in their June Newsletter advertising a training coming up from the “Life Defense Fund” where they are offering training on how to say no to signing a petition:

As noted in the advertisement, “If they get enough signatures this dangerous amendment would cancel all pro-life laws! We will need people bringing this truth, especially at the Brown County Fair. Sponsored by Life Defense Fund with speaker, Dave Roetman.”

I thought if they got enough signatures, then it would be placed on the ballot for people to vote. But apparently they say it will “cancel all pro-life laws!”  (I guess when you’re on a roll..)

It did get my attention that they have engaged with former Minnehaha County GOP Chair, former SDGOP Finance Director/Political Director, former Monae Johnson campaign person and holder of other past-tense superlatives, Dave Roetman, who co-founded the Patriot Ripple group in Sioux Falls to defeat Republican officeholders.

It does sound like some high level stuff, when you need Dave to teach people how to not do something.  Who would have thought you needed a training – with two separate sessions at 1pm and 3pm – on how not to sign one’s name?

Stay tuned.

Attorney General Jackley Releases Draft Explanation For Proposed
Constitutional Amendment Eliminating Single Subject Rule

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has released a draft ballot explanation for a proposed constitutional amendment, proposed by Quincy Hanzen of Sioux Falls, that would repeal the single subject rule.

This proposed constitutional amendment would remove the current limitation that a proposed constitutional amendment can include only one subject. The ballot explanation can be found here.

State law requires the Attorney General draft a title and explanation for each initiated measure, initiated constitutional amendment, constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature, or referred measure that may appear on an election ballot. The Attorney General’s explanation is meant to be an “objective, clear, and simple summary” intended to “educate the voters of the purpose and effect of the proposed” measure, as well as identify the “legal consequences” of each measure.

The Attorney General takes no position on any such proposal.

Once the Attorney General has filed and posted the draft explanation, the public has 10 days to provide written comment. The explanation was filed today (Tuesday, June 6), and the deadline for comments on this explanation is June 16, 2023, at the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota. The final explanation is due to the Secretary of State on June 26, 2023.

The draft amendment would require 35,017 valid petition signatures to qualify for the 2024 general election ballot.

To file written comments on a draft Attorney General’s explanation please use one of the following methods below. Copies of all received comments will be posted on this website.

Comments may be submitted via mail, or through hand delivery, to the Attorney General’s Office at:

Office of the Attorney General
Ballot Comment
1302 E. Hwy. 14, Suite 1
Pierre, SD 57501

Comments that are hand delivered must be received by the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota, by June 16, 2023. Comments that are mailed must be received by the Attorney General’s Office before the deadline expires to be accepted.

Comments may also be emailed to ATGballotcomments@state.sd.us by June 16, 2023. Comments should be clearly expressed in the body of the email. The Attorney General’s Office will not open attachments in an effort to prevent malware or other digital threats. Please include your name and contact information when submitting your comment. The title of the comment must be included in the subject line of the email.

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“Agriculture will continue to be the state’s economic backbone, but most South Dakotans will earn a living in non-farm jobs that require technical skills, Gov. Bill Janklow says.

Janklow says his program to provide topnotch telecommunications to all schools means that service is in nearly every city. Businesses also can hook their computers and phones into those high-speed lines, he says.

”It’s going to get us into the information age, and that is where the future is going to be for the majority of our people,” the governor says.”

– Governor Bill Janklow, Associated Press (via Yankton Press & Dakotan), January 31, 2000

In an article at South Dakota Searchlight yesterday, while Senator John Thune and others continue Bill Janklow’s legacy for a connected South Dakota for the benefit of all, one South Dakota legislator thinks it’s more appropriate to spit on Janklow’s legacy, and tell people who live and work in remote areas of South Dakota that government support of bringing broadband to remote areas is an “overstep” by government.

Thune is the ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Media and Broadband. Despite rising costs, he remains committed to broadband expansion given the benefits.

“Whether it’s distance learning, telemedicine or precision agriculture,” Thune said. “And it’s becoming easier for people to work and live here. Even if they have a job someplace else, if you have high-speed internet services, the sky is the limit as to what you can do.”

and..

Rep. Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, questions if providing high-speed internet access is the role of government.

“The federal government has already been spending billions and billions of dollars on this,” Karr said. “Is it the role of government to cut through a mountain to deliver internet? I question that. Because, if you move somewhere remote, there are going to be trade-offs.”

Citing mounting concerns over inflation and the federal budget deficit, Karr argues government’s involvement in broadband expansion is an overstep that should be curtailed.

Read the entire story here.

I don’t know what a person says to to such short-sightedness in calling broadband connection “an overstep.”

Anyone want to be the South Dakota Elections Coordinator?

No, really. Is there anyone who wants to do it? Because the job is open again the day before the next round of elections:

From the last report, the job had been filled around February, so Secretary of State Monae Johnson is back to the drawing board on a person to serve as her point person for election questions.

If you missed this story from South Dakota News Watch last week, there’s an item in it that’s somewhat concerning regarding Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson.

Anderson advocated for petition circulators to be banned from the entrance of the Minnehaha County Courthouse, and pushed into designated petition zones in the parking lot, much like the maligned free speech zones of college campuses. And that they have to check into her office before exercising their free speech..  sorry, exercising their petitioning.

But the really bad part of this is the fact that Anderson appears to have skin in the game.

Anderson not just worked for one of the primary organizers of petition opponents at one time, but she donated money to the petition opponents, according to campaign finance reports:

Verbal skirmishes between the groups, and what some county employees and customers characterize as increasingly aggressive behavior from circulators, led the Minnehaha County Commission to adopt a new policy for petition gathering on May 2. It was based upon the recommendation of county auditor Leah Anderson, who was elected in November and sworn in on March 5.

The new policy would restrict petition circulation to two designated rectangular areas: one about 50 feet from the main entrance to the administration building, in the parking lot off Minnesota Avenue, and the other southeast of the main entrance to the courthouse.

The policy mandated that circulators check in at Anderson’s office prior to conducting political activity “to permit the placement of safety markers and to verify space availability within the designated areas.”

and..

Anderson, who proposed the rule changes, is a former secretary and treasurer for the Alpha Center, the Sioux Falls pregnancy resource center founded by Leslee Unruh, a leader of the state’s anti-abortion movement who also co-chairs the Life Defense Fund. Anderson’s campaign PAC, Leah for Minnehaha Auditor, donated $200 to the Life Defense Fund, according to campaign finance reports.

In court, though, Anderson testified that her motivation to change the policy was based on conversations with county staffers who observed an increase in aggressive behavior from petition circulators that made entering and exiting the administration building burdensome, including petitioners who stationed themselves inside the main entrance.

Read the entire story here at SD News Watch.

If Republicans oppose free speech zones on University campuses, they probably need to examine whether they should take the same position for free speech zones at the Minnehaha County Courthouse.

According to the South Dakota Register, the State Board of Elections is having a hearing on a number of topics around election tabulation and security, including voter registration file security, testing and sealing of automatic tabulation equipment, and a number of other hot-button items coming up on June 28th.

As detailed in the notice:

State Board of Elections (Office of the Secretary of State): (June 2, 2023) intends to amend rules to change the date for a statewide runoff; prescribe the oath for a county recount board; prescribe the notice for testing automatic tabulating equipment and prescribe the method for testing such equipment; describe how to seal automatic tabulating machines; prescribe ballot box storage and security; clarify how an auditor is to conduct absentee balloting at nursing facilities, assisted living centers, and hospitals; make changes to the voter registration form; add email address and telephone number to the precinct committeeman or committeewoman statement; change the acknowledgement notice for rejected voter registrations from forwardable to non-forwardable; clarify the procedures for voter registration file security; and prescribe the oath for a post-election audit board. The general authority for these rules, as cited by the board, is SDCL 12-1-9, 12-4-35, 12-4-37, 12-4-56, 12-17B-5.2, 12-17B-17, 12-17B-18, 12-19-9.1, 12-19-9.3, and 12-21-2.

A public hearing will be held in the Secretary of State Business Office, 215 East Prospect Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota, on June 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (CT). Copies of the proposed rules may be obtained without charge from the State Board of Elections, 500 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota 57501, or at https://sdsos.gov or https://rules.sd.gov. Written comments may be sent to State Board of Elections, 500 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota 57501 or emailed to elections@state.sd.us. Material sent by mail or email must reach the board seventy-two hours before the date of the hearing. This hearing is being held in a physically accessible location. Persons with special needs for which the board can make arrangements may call (605) 773-3537 at least 48 hours before the public hearing.

Read the notice as found here.