MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) Voters next month will be shaping how future elections operate in many states – including South Dakota, where nonpartisan primaries are on the ballot. Constitutional Amendment H would shift primaries in South Dakota to an open, “top-two system.” Every voter would get a single primary ballot listing all candidates – and the two in each race with the most votes move on. Currently, political parties decide which registered voters can participate in their primaries. The Democratic Party now allows registered Democrats, Independents and unaffiliated voters to do so. But Republicans have a “closed” primary, for registered party members only. Joe Kirby with South Dakota Open Primaries says changing the system would increase participation.
| “Candidates would change their messaging so they would appeal to all voters in the state instead of, as they currently do, appealing to the partisan few that show up for our primary elections.” |
Only 17-percent of registered voters in South Dakota cast ballots in this year’s primaries, according to the Secretary of State. Kirby says under the current system, more than 150-thousand voters are left out.
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A similar measure to create a nonpartisan primary was defeated by South Dakota voters in 2016. Kirby says opponents include what he calls “party bosses” on both sides of the aisle – because the new system, he says, would give more power to voters.
| “Our job this election cycle is to get out the word about what it is and how it would work. Because if people understand it, they tend to like it. “ |
South Dakota is one of several states where voters will be deciding on nonpartisan primaries, including Arizona, Idaho and Montana.
