Attending a Legislative Coffee or Cracker Barrel is a great way to get involved in your community and show South Dakota's lawmakers you're paying attention.
February 23, 2023 - 9:00am

This list is updated frequently, if you see we're missing some details please email ajorgensen@aclu.org promptly.

Please be aware that the organizations hosting these legislative coffees and cracker barrels are not affiliated in any way with the ACLU.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Onida area 
Districts, TBA
Friday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. CT
At the Library in the school

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Watertown area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. CT
Livestock Show Ring at Codington County Extension Office
1910 W. Kemp Ave.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Rapid City area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. MT
Western Dakota Tech
713 7th St. 

Legislative Coffee - Brookings area 
District 7 & 8
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. CT
Brookings City and County Government Center
520 3rd St.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Huron area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. CT
City Hall
36311 Lassen Ave.

Legislative Coffee - Pierre area 
District 24
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. CT
Chamber of Commerce
800 W. Dakota Ave.

Legislative Coffee - Aberdeen area 
District TBD
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. CT
Barnett Center on the NSU Campus, Kessler Room
1200 S. Jay St.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Hartford area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. CT
The Stomping Grounds
700 N. Vandemark Ave.

Legislative Coffee - Sioux Falls area
District 10, 11, & 12
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. CT
The Hub at Southeast Technical College 
2001 N. Career Ave. 

Legislative Coffee - Dell Rapids area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. CT 
Pizza Ranch
500 W. 4th St.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Yankton area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. CT 
City Commission Room at the CMTEA building
1200 W. 21st St. 

Legislative Cracker Barrel - White Lake area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. CT 
White Lake School
410 E. 4th 

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Selby area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. CT
May Acres Clubhouse
201 S. Railway St.

Legislative Coffee - Corsica and Platte area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. MT
Pizza Plus

Legislative Coffee - Alexandria area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. MT
In the Community Room of the Hanson School building or Hanson Community Library

Legislative Coffee - Deadwood area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. MT
Cadillac Jacks
360 Main St. 

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Hartford area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. CT
The Stomping Grounds
700 N. Vandemark Ave.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Mobridge area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10:30 a.m. CT
Mobridge City Hall
114 1st Ave. E.

Legislative Coffee - Piedmont-Foothills area
Hybrid: Face-to-face and Zoom
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. MT
Piedmont American Legion Post 311
101 Pine St.

Legislative Coffee - Hot Springs area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. MT
Mueller Center
801 S. 6th St.

Legislative Coffee - Gettysburg area
District 23
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.
212 Mini Mall/Coffee Bean
301 N. Main St.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Redfield area 
Districts, TBA
Monday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. CT
Chicago and Northwestern Historic Train Depot
715 W. 3rd St.

Legislative Coffee - Newell area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 9:30 a.m. MT
Newell City Hall
108 3rd St.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Huron area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. CT
City Hall
36311 Lassen Ave.

Legislative Coffee - Brookings area 
District 7 & 8
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. CT
Brookings City and County Government Center
520 3rd St.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Madison area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. CT
Live at the Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Vermillion area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. CT
City Hall Council Chambers
25 Center St. 

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Kimball area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 9:30 a.m. CT
Firehall
120 W. 2nd St.

Legislative Coffee - Sioux Falls area 
***CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER***
District 2, 13, & 15
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. CT
The Hub at Southeast Technical College 
2001 N. Career Ave. 

Legislative Coffee - Burke area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. MT
VFW

Legislative Coffee - Hill City area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. MT
Super 8 Conference Room
109 Main St.

Legislative Coffee - Chamberlain area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. MT
Community Center

Legislative Coffee - Belle Fourche area 
District TBD
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 1:30 p.m. MT 
Branding Iron Steakhouse and Social Club
19079 US-85

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Winner area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. CT 
American Legion
133 E. 3rd St. 

Legislative Coffee - Custer area
District TBA
Saturday, Feb. 25 at 3:30 p.m. MT
Custer Senior Citizen Center 
538 Mt Rushmore Rd.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Rapid City area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, March 4 at 9 a.m. MT
Western Dakota Technical College | Event Center
800 Mickelson Dr. 

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Highmore area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, March 4 at 10 a.m. CT
West Wing of the City Auditorium
125 2nd St.

Legislative Coffee - Aberdeen area 
District TBD
Saturday, March 4 at 10 a.m. CT
Barnett Center on the NSU Campus, Kessler Room
1200 S. Jay St.

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Yankton area 
Districts, TBA
Saturday, March 4 at 10 a.m. CT 
City Commission Room at the CMTEA building
1200 W. 21st St. 

The organizations hosting these legislative coffees and cracker barrels are not affiliated in any way with the ACLU of South Dakota or the ACLU National Offices. 

Stay informed

Sample questions for your Legislative Coffee or Cracker Barrel

A.Sample questions for your Legislative Coffee or Cracker Barrel

A.

Anti-trans Legislation Related Questions

  • How do you define something as "lewd?"
  • How do you as an elected official plan to protect the well-being of your transgender constituents when they are targeted by anti-trans bills every single year?
  • How many transgender people, or families with transgender kids who are targeted by anti-trans bills have you spoken with?

Classroom Censorship Related Questions 

  • Do you believe the ability to discuss and debate ideas, even those that some may find uncomfortable, is a crucial part of our democracy?

Reproductive Freedom Related Questions 

  • We hear a lot about the need for personal freedom in South Dakota, but we continue to see bills which aim to severely restrict or entirely remove a pregnant person’s freedom to choose what their future and family looks like. How do you reconcile these two ideas?
  • Studies show that people who are denied an abortion are more likely to experience subsequent poverty, to have insufficient funds to pay for basic living expenses, to have poorer health, and are more likely to be in violent romantic relationships. With these stats in consideration, do you support anti-abortion efforts? 

Voting Rights Related Questions 

  • Do you think South Dakota voters should be able to have unencumbered access to the ballot box? Including, no excuse absentee voting?
  • Where do you stand on legislation like House Bill 1217 that make it harder for voters with caregiving duties or complicated work schedules to access the ballot box? 
  • Do you know how many rural voters cast an absentee ballot during the last election? 
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