ACLU of South Dakota Urges Gov. Rhoden to Veto SB 175

After lawmakers voted to pass legislation that could disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters across the state, the ACLU of South Dakota is urging Gov. Larry Rhoden to veto the bill that creates sweeping, unnecessary changes to the state’s voting laws.

Senate Bill 175 requires individuals to provide documented proof of citizenship, like a birth certificate or passport, when registering to vote. But many eligible South Dakota voters lack easy access to these required documents and would be ineligible to vote.

Notably, Senate Bill 175 will make voting harder for married women and other South Dakotans who have changed their names and will need additional documents to prove their name change. It would have a similar effect on lower-income voters, young people, seniors and anyone else who does not travel internationally or who does not have the time or means to obtain a passport or copies of their birth certificate.

“There is no proof of widespread voter fraud or evidence of non-citizens voting that justifies imposing burdensome show-your-papers requirements for every eligible voter,” said Samantha Chapman, ACLU of South Dakota advocacy manager. “Senate Bill 175 places the burden on eligible voters to procure documents that take both time and money to obtain and could prevent thousands of citizens from exercising their fundamental right to vote. Our lawmakers should be doing everything they can to encourage participation from all eligible voters – not making it harder. By vetoing Senate Bill 175, Gov. Rhoden would send a clear message that South Dakota supports voters.”

When Kansas enacted a similar law, 31,000 eligible voters were prevented from voting, and the law was later struck down for violating the National Voter Registration Act and U.S. Constitution.

The ACLU of South Dakota’s letter to Gov. Rhoden, which was also signed by the South Dakota League of Women Voters, is below.

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About the ACLU of South Dakota
The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of South Dakota is part of a three-state chapter that also includes North Dakota and Wyoming. The team in South Dakota is supported by staff in those states.

The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit communities. The ACLU of South Dakota carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of South Dakota.