How did ballot measures shake out?

Megan Raposa -

Simplified: The word of the day was, "No" for many South Dakotans as voters shot down six out of seven ballot measures – rejecting everything from updated gender references in the state constitution to abortion access to legal pot. Here's a look at how it all went down.

Why it matters

  • All told, about $7 million (and counting) went into ballot question campaigns, according to South Dakota Searchlight.
  • The biggest spenders were those supporting Amendment H – a measure that would've changed how the state conducts primary elections so all voters get the same ballot and the top two vote-getters advance. That measure was rejected by a wide margin Tuesday night.
  • The one exception to the "no" votes was Amendment F, which paves the way for the state to enact work requirements for certain folks receiving Medicaid benefits.

Here's a breakdown by measure:

Amendment E: This measure would have updated gender references in the state constitution – essentially by replacing pronouns like "he" with proper nouns like "The Governor."

  • About 60% of voters rejected this measure, with about three-fourths of precincts reporting.

Amendment F: This paves the way for work requirements for certain Medicaid recipients who became eligible for benefits under the state's Medicaid expansion, which voters approved in 2022.

  • Voters supported this amendment with 56% "yes" votes.

Amendment G: This would have reinstated abortion access to a similar setup that was available for decades under Roe v. Wade.

  • With more than 60% of the vote, the "No on G" folks successfully upheld one of the strictest abortion bans in the country – which includes no exceptions for the health of the mother, or for pregnancies that resulted from rape or incest. (SDPB has more coverage on this one.)

Amendment H: This would have switched up how South Dakota conducts primary elections so everyone gets the same ballot and the top two vote getters, regardless of party, move on to the general election ballot.

  • Voters overwhelmingly rejected this one, with about 67% voting no.

Initiated Measure 28: This would have repealed the state's tax on "anything sold for human consumption."

  • This measure also got a resounding, "No," from more than 70% of voters.

Initiated Measure 29: This would have legalized recreational marijuana.

  • About 57% of voters gave this one a big "N-O."

Referred Law 21: Establishing statewide rules for how counties tax pipelines as well as establishing a "landowner bill of rights."

  • The 60% of voters who opted for "no" effectively overturned the measure state lawmakers passed earlier this year.