South Dakota2026Active
HB1095
Changes to Rules for Filing Election Petitions
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 3:29 AM
In one sentence
This law updates deadlines and rules for filing nomination papers for city, school board, state party delegate, and primary elections.
What it does
- Sets specific deadlines in March or August for filing petitions depending on whether the election is held in June or November.
- Requires petition forms to include the candidate's name, residential address, mailing address if applicable, and the office they seek.
- Allows people living in second-class or third-class municipalities to use a P.O. Box instead of a street address on petitions.
- Creates rules for candidates to withdraw their names from ballots by filing a written request under oath before a set deadline.
- States that if too many candidates drop out, officials may cancel an election or declare someone the winner without voting.
Who it affects
- Candidates running for city offices
- Candidates running for school board seats
- Political party members selecting delegates to national conventions
- City finance officers and school district business managers who verify petitions
Limits and unknowns
- The official text does not state when this law officially takes effect.
- Details about how election costs are shared between cities and counties depend on agreements made by local leaders, which the bill mentions but does not specify in detail.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Nominating petition
- A form with signatures that a candidate must file to get their name on the ballot.
- Municipal finance officer
- The city official who receives and checks election papers for local offices.
- Withdraw under oath
- A formal written request to remove a name from the ballot, signed with a promise of truthfulness.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
modify provisions pertaining to the submission of a nominating petition.
Official activity
Bill history
- Signed by the Governor