← Election Series · Down-ballot coverage · South Dakota
Our call — vote YES
The measure
Constitutional Amendment J is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, sponsored by Sen. Taffy Howard and passed with broad bipartisan legislative support in 2025. It would provide that an individual who is not a citizen of the United States is disqualified from voting in any election or upon any question submitted to the voters of South Dakota — adding noncitizens expressly to the constitution's list of those disqualified, where the current text guarantees the vote to citizens without expressly disqualifying noncitizens.
What YES does
A YES vote closes the textual gap: citizenship becomes an explicit constitutional qualification, and noncitizen voting is expressly disqualified in every South Dakota election.
What NO does
A NO vote leaves the constitution as it is — citizenship required in registration practice and statute, without this express constitutional disqualification.
The math
No fiscal effect was published in the sources consulted. The amendment states a voting qualification and creates no program.
OUR CALL
Our call: YES.
About twenty local jurisdictions in other states have tried letting noncitizens vote locally, and courts have fought over the gaps in state constitutions. South Dakota should leave no gap. Voting belongs to citizens; write it where no legislature, council, or court can misread it.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, every measure — see the LiberalMind election site.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Sources: Ballotpedia, 2026 ballot measures (ballotpedia.org/2026_ballot_measures) — Amendment J summary; Sen. Taffy Howard interview, Closing the Loophole (2026).
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.