Proponent Arguments

Vote YES on Amendment H to make sure every South Dakota voter has a voice in who leads our state, taking power from party bosses and returning it to the voters.
Amendment H creates one “South Dakota Primary.” All candidates would be on a single primary ballot, all voters would receive that ballot and the top two vote-getters would advance to the general election. Most importantly, all voters would get to vote!

Currently, 150,000 independent or unaffiliated voters in South Dakota are excluded from taxpayer-funded primary elections. Amendment H ensures that everyone has a meaningful voice in who leads our state by letting all voters vote in the primary elections.

Our closed primary system isn’t working anymore. Only 17% of South Dakota’s voters participated in last June’s primary election, so it’s no surprise that politicians aren’t listening to voters: they are only accountable to powerful interests who dominate the primaries. Amendment H would boost turnout and competitive elections, so politicians are more likely to act on items which have broad public support.

Bottom line: Amendment H would shift power from party bosses back to the voters. It would fix an unfair system that silences the voices of 150,000 South Dakota independent voters. It would increase voter participation in elections and make our system fairer. And it would rationalize our politics and ensure elected officials focus on what’s best for all South Dakotans.

Vote YES on Amendment H to let all voter’s vote!

Joe Kirby, Republican and Chairman of South Dakota Open Primaries,
De Knudson, Republican and Former Sioux Falls City Councilor
Drey Samuelson, Former Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Tim Johnson

Opponent Arguments

Political parties are foundational elements of self-government. Parties play a crucial role in every functional self-government around the world. They have played a critical role in the history of our country and our state. Parties of all kinds and in all places examine government and society, make choices on governmental policy, and give confidence to voters that office holders will act along those precepts. For example, the abolition of slavery was the founding principle of the Republican Party. Candidates and office holders were able to align alongside that ideal, and give voters confidence that Republican candidates were indeed anti-slavery. Parties choosing platforms, followed by primaries where candidates for the ballot are chosen by members who support those ideals is a founding principle of modern political debate and of self-government. Open primaries might well destroy the effectiveness of our system of government by allowing outsiders to participate in selecting candidates to run for office. This idea may well substantially weaken the ability of voters to choose office holders who truly represent their values and ideals. Both major parties in our state oppose Amendment H. You should too.

John Wiik, SDGOP