MARCH 3, 2023:
(South Dakota Broadcasters Association)– A bill originally designed to select all statewide candidates for the major political parties via primary was amended to only allow the gubernatorial candidates to choose their running mate.
The House passed the amended version of SB 40 by a 48 to 21 vote yesterday (March 2, 2023).
The amendment’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Jessica Bahmuller from Alexandria, said the state Republican leadership and Republican legislative leadership agreed with the compromise.
“The Republican Party is a huge family. Our family has come together with a compromise. The State Republican Party is willing to work together.”
The sponsor of the original bill that would have allowed the gubernatorial candidate to name their running mate and would have put all statewide candidates through the June primary supported the change.
“It is the right of the governor to select who their lieutenant governor is,” said Republican Rep. Roger Chase from Huron. “That’s what prompted me to be a prime sponsor. Many of us feel it should go one step further. But to save the Republican Party, I support the bill.”
The bill returns to the Senate for its concurrence or rejection of the compromise.
MARCH 1, 2023:
(South Dakota Broadcasters Association)– All statewide offices would be selected via a party primary under a bill a House committee passed this morning (March 1, 2023). SB 40 also allows gubernatorial candidates to select their lieutenant governor running mates. The bill passed the House State Affairs Committee 8 to 5.
The measure has primarily become an interparty fight within the Republican Party. It pits the GOP state leadership and precinct committeemen and women against a majority of legislative Republicans.
“This is the moment in time to give people the right to vote (on all statewide candidates),” said bill supporter, Republican Rep. James Wangness from Miller.
A fellow Republican felt the opposite.
“This is a knee-jerk reaction to the last (GOP) convention,” bill opponent, Republican Rep. Rebecca Reimer from Chamberlain said. “Give our chairman a chance.”
In the 2022 convention, Monae Johnson unseated incumbent Secretary of State, Steve Barnett. Also, Gov. Kristi Noem had to fight to get Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden approved as her running mate after she handily won the June primary. Further, though not named, one legislator brought up impeached Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg as a failure of the Republican convention in 2020.
Several Republican supporters of the bill said they never had contact with the precinct committeemen or women who vote at the convention for most statewide offices.
Supporter Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt from Sioux Falls said some GOP committee men and women had actually worked against her in primaries.
Republican Sen. John Wiik from Big Stone City is the new state Republican chairman. He said he needs time to fix the issues with precinct men and women, including training and ensuring all 2,000 slots are filled. There was testimony that only 600 current positions were filled, and at least ten counties were not represented at the last convention.
“We’re working with regional (GOP) directors to get unrepresented counties represented,” Wiik said. “It’s a process. It takes time.”
Republican Party activists testified that the committee men and women are the true grassroots of the party. Other Republican legislators said the grassroots are the voters, “the people in your neighborhood.”
Bill sponsor, Republican David Johnson from Rapid City, said he had introduced the same bill five years ago but withdrew it based on promises from the previous GOP chair that things would get fixed.
“I waited and waited and waited,” Johnson said. “Nothing changed, so I decided to bring the bill back.”
An attempt to amend the bill just to allow the gubernatorial candidate to select their running mate failed.
“I’m a true Republican player, but I’m also an advocate for South Dakota voters,” said bill supporter Republican Rep. Roger Chase from Huron.
The bill now goes to the House for its consideration.
FEBRUARY 16, 2023:
South Dakota state senators pass one election reform law and defeat another yesterday (Feb. 15, 2023).
On an 18 to 16 vote, the Senate passed a bill to have Republican and Democratic Party voters pick all statewide candidates via a primary rather than selecting most at a party convention. Independents can vote in Democratic primaries. SB 40 was amended to allow the parties to fill any unfilled positions following the primaries through their conventions.
Supporters said it was actual open and honest government that enfranchises all votes.
Opponents said it was disenfranchising the most active party members and was another form of representative democracy.
SB 40 now goes to the House.
However, House Republican leadership said they would hold the bill to see if Republicans can find a compromise on their intra-party squabble over the nomination process. According to opponents of the bill, the state GOP Central Committee and nearly all local party committees support keeping the convention system. It utilizes precinct and committee men and women to select the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Auditor, the School and Public Lands Commissioner and PUC commissioners. The last GOP convention in 2022 had around 600 delegates.
Democrats utilize a similar system but have fewer delegates at their conventions and use a different selection process.
Though a political process, bill supporters said state law sets up the system, so state law must be changed.
Another bill requiring a Public Utilities Commissioner to retire at age 70 unless elected before age 70 failed on a 15 to 19 vote. SB 171 started by limiting PUC commissioners to two six years terms but was amended with the age restriction. Supporters said it would mirror the law requiring state judges to retire at age 70.
Opponents said the PUC considers complex utility issues and experience is needed to protect consumers.
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