South Dakota GOP renews “Don’t Sign on the Line” campaign to encourage voters to educate themselves before they sign petition to hide information

South Dakota GOP renews “Don’t Sign on the Line” campaign to encourage voters to educate themselves before they sign petition to hide information

In the face of a new ballot measure which would roll back ballot measure reforms guaranteeing information be provided up front to voters, as they did in 2017, the South Dakota Republican Party is launching a campaign for people to learn about all of the effects of petitions before they sign them.

State Republican Party Chairman Dan Lederman is encouraging every South Dakotan who is approached by a ballot measure petition carrier that they DON’T SIGN ON THE LINE until they have a chance to fully research the measure, as well as to verify that the petition carrier can produce South Dakota identification.

“It is very concerning to Republicans that there is a new ballot measure being circulated that is asking voters to sign away their rights to be informed about what’s on the ballot,” Republican GOP Chairman Lederman said. “If this measure is placed on the ballot and passes, people would be giving up many of the rights they have when it comes to ballot measures and making sure the people who ask for their personal information are not bad actors, and that they follow the law.”

“When someone wants to remove information from the ballot that tells taxpayers what a ballot measure would cost, and remove a ban on individuals from sponsoring or circulating petitions for four years if they have committed multiple petition-law violations, it should raise a red flag for everyone,” Lederman said.

“We’ve noted previously that the initiative and referendum process was established in South Dakota to allow a government that’s more responsive to its citizens, and not for whatever D.C. or California special interest group who could write the biggest check and send in armies for a slick, street-corner sell. No one is demanding less information about what their government does, yet these characters seem to think hiding information from voters is the thing to do.”

“Only when voters are satisfied that a ballot measure makes South Dakota better, and it’s a fellow South Dakotan making the ask, should they consider signing,” Lederman said.