As required by state law, the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office has drafted an explanation for a Constitutional Amendment proposed by the Legislature that would establish a trust for the state’s Unclaimed Property Fund. The draft explanation has been filed with the Secretary of State’s Office.
Attorney General Marty Jackley takes no position on any such proposal for purposes of the ballot explanation. He has provided a fair and neutral explanation to help assist the voters as required by state law.
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.
Once the Attorney General has filed and posted the draft explanation, the public has 10 days to provide written comment. The explanation was filed April 29, 2026, and the deadline for comments on this explanation is May 9, 2026, at the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota. The final explanation is due to the Secretary of State on May 19, 2026.
If approved, the explanation will accompany the proposal on the 2026 general election ballot which is Nov. 3.
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 S.D. E. Hwy. 1889, Suite #1
Pierre, SD 57501
Comments that are hand delivered must be received by the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota, by May 9, 2026.
Comments may also be emailed to ATGballotcomments@state.sd.us by May 9, 2026 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.
Comments