SB 34 South Dakota Senate · 2026 Regular Session

amend provisions pertaining to conducting a municipal or school district election and to declare an emergency.

SB 34 clarifies voting rules and election procedures for South Dakota municipalities and school districts. It defines key terms like "in conjunction with" (timing) and "combined with" (shared responsibilities), and updates residency requirements for voters (requiring actual residence in the municipality, with exceptions for students and military members with local home of record). The bill specifies when voter challenges can be made - only through established procedures (§ 12-18-10) - and adjusts notice requirements, mandating weekly publication of election notices for two weeks before elections, with specific timing windows. It applies directly to local election officials and voters in municipal/school district elections.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Jan 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Feb 25, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Jan 23, 2026

How they voted

322
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 35
Jan 23, 2026
D Democratic3
3 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican32
29 Yea 2 Nay 1
90% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
4
Committee
2
Feb 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
State Affairs Deferred to the 41st legislative day , Passed, YEAS 8, NAYS 5
lower
Feb 25, 2026
Committee
State Affairs Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 5, NAYS 8
lower
Jan 26, 2026
Introduced
First read in House and referred to House State Affairs H.J. 136
lower
Jan 23, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 32, NAYS 2 S.J. 94
upper
Jan 22, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Deferred to another day , Passed, S.J. 85
upper
Jan 21, 2026
Upper · Passed
Local Government Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 0
upper
Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
First read in Senate and referred to Senate Local Government S.J. 14
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.