Absentee Voting Begins Friday for General Election; Ballot Available

Absentee Voting Begins Friday for General Election; Ballot Available

 

 

South Dakota residents can cast their votes in the General Election as early as Friday, September 18. “The voters have the option to request a ballot by mail beginning Friday, or they can vote absentee in-person here on the second floor of the courthouse, or they can vote in-person at the polls on November 3,” Karen Layher, Grant County auditor, summarized. 
Unlike the Primary Election in June, there is now an adequate number of election workers, and all 18 precincts in Grant County will be staffed and open on election day. Nearly 65 election workers are needed to man the county’s precincts. Layher noted that sanitizing stations will be provided, and the workers will be behind sneeze guards. 
For those who want to vote early for any reason, there are options. Registered voters can go through the process to request that a ballot be mailed out to them. Once they have their ballots, voters can return them by mail or deposit them in the dropbox near the south entrance of the courthouse. “The drop box is checked multiple times per day,” Layher said. “If a voter chooses to vote in person, as long as they haven’t returned their ballot to the auditor, they still can,” Layher added.  
The staff of the Grant County auditor’s office is working long hours this week to prepare approximately 700 absentee ballots to be mailed on Friday. “We’re coming in early and staying late to assure that those ballots are in the mail on Friday,” Layher said. 
As noted earlier, registered voters may choose to vote in-person at the courthouse between September 18 and the November 3 election. Polling stations will be set up on the second level, near the auditor’s office. Layher said that special accommodations can be made for voters who have trouble negotiating the stairs, but who want to vote this manner. 
Traditionally, the majority of voters go to the polls on the day of the election, and can do so this year. “I’m hoping for a voter turnout of 75 to 80 percent in Grant County,” Layher said. She added that in the last presidential election year, Grant County had a 79 percent turnout. 
In this year’s presidential contest, voters can choose between the electors for incumbent, Republican Donald Trump and running mate, Mike Pence; Libertarian Jo Jorgensen and running mate Jeremy “Spike” Cohen, and Democrat Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris. 
Voters can cast a vote for either incumbent, Mike Rounds, Republican, or Dan Ahlers, Democrat, for United States Senator. 
In the race for the seat in the United States House of Representatives, voters can choose between incumbent Dusty Johnson, Republican, and Randy “Uriah” Luallin, Libertarian. 
The incumbent Gary Hanson, Republican; Devin Saxon, Libertarian, and Remi W. B. Bald Eagle, Democrat, are in the contest for Public Utilities Commissioner. 
Running for South Dakota State Senate from District Four are incumbent, John Wiik, Republican, and Daryl Root, Libertarian. 
In the contest for South Dakota State Representative from District Four, there are three candidates: incumbents, Fred Deutsch and John Mills, both Republican, and challenger, Becky Holtquist, Democrat. Voters may cast their votes for two candidates for State Representative. 
Voters will be able to vote for or against the retention of Justice Steven Jensen, representing the Fourth Supreme Court District. Jensen’s term is set to expire on January 1, 2021.
At the county level, there will be a contest for the position of Grant County Treasurer. The candidates are Karla DeVaal, Republican, and incumbent, Raynelle Mueller, Democrat. 
The ballot contains a proposed amendment to the state constitution, which if it passes, would legalize, regulate and tax marijuana. It would also require the legislature to pass laws regarding hemp and ensure access to marijuana for medical use. 
Initiated Measure 26 is on the ballot. If passed, it would legalize marijuana for medical use.
There are several county-level seats for which only one candidate filed. As a result, there won’t be races for the following: 
Grant County Commission, District Two, incumbent, Bill Street, will retain his seat.
Grant County Commission, District Four, incumbent, Doug Stengel, will retain his seat. 
Grant County coroner, incumbent, Mark Leusink, will remain in the position. 
Grant County Soil Conservation District, incumbents, Gerald Thaden and Matt Loeschke, will retain their seats. 
Jackson Schwandt, a Milbank attorney, was the only candidate to file for the position Grant County state’s attorney. He will become the active state’s attorney in January 2021. 
The current state’s attorney, Mark Reedstrom, began serving in that capacity in 1997 and is finishing his sixth consecutive four-year term. “I have been the local prosecutor and legal counsel for Grant County for the past 24 years,” Reedstrom said. “Prior to that, I was a deputy state’s attorney in Minnehaha County for ten years. Over that time frame, I have prosecuted thousands of criminal cases. I have tried hundreds of cases, ranging from speeding tickets to first- and second-degree murder and almost everything in between.  About a year or so ago, I decided this would be my last term in office.”
The commission plans to create a deputy state’s attorney position with the intention to hire Reedstrom on a part-time basis after the first of the year. While planning to semi-retire, Reedstrom said, “I committed to staying on in a part-time capacity, preferably no more than two days per week to help out and provide mentorship to my successor.”
Reedstrom plans to continue as Milbank’s city attorney and to continue his private law practice. “I am also a special assistant to the attorney general’s office doing child support enforcement cases for the South Dakota Department of Social Services. I plan to continue handling those cases for the state,” he said. “I will have plenty of legal work to keep me busy, but hopefully, less busy.”
Sample ballots are available now on the South Dakota Secretary of State website, sdsos.gov. They will also be available at the courthouse or Grant County Public Library beginning Friday. 
Layher encourages residents who have questions about their registration, absentee voting or any election-related questions to call her office at 605-432-6711. 
~Holli Seehafer

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Grant County Review

Grant County Review
P.O. Box 390
Milbank, SD 57252
(605) 432-4516

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