Secretary of State Monae Johnson is asking lawmakers to allow county auditors to use ballot‑on‑demand systems, which print official ballots as needed. The proposal, Senate Bill 28, is one of seven election‑related measures her office has pre‑filed ahead of the 2026 legislative session beginning January 13.
Johnson is also backing bills that would:
- Allow release of cast vote records and ballot images (SB 29)
- Add U.S. citizenship as a basis for challenging a voter’s eligibility (SB 30)
- Permit confirmation letters to verify voter registration (SB 31)
- Consolidate certain ballots by adding judicial and precinct offices to the main ballot (SB 32)
- Change signature requirements for political parties and candidate petitions (SB 33), with new thresholds taking effect in 2027
- Update rules for combined school board and municipal elections (SB 34)
Johnson, of Rapid City, is seeking the Republican nomination for a second term. Rep. Heather Baxter, also a Rapid City Republican, plans to challenge her, while Democrat Terrence Davis of Sioux Falls is the lone announced candidate from his party.
South Dakota has not re‑elected a secretary of state since 2006, and the last Democrat elected to the office was in 1974.
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