South Dakota’s June primary elections are generally not competitive. And half of the state’s voters are not allowed a meaningful role in the process.
We want to change that.
We are circulating petitions to ask voters in November if they want a more fair and competitive primary election system. With our top-two primaries constitutional amendment, all registered South Dakota voters would get the same primary election ballot. And all candidates for an office would be listed together on that ballot. The top-two vote getters would advance to the general election in November.
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The top-two open primary would cover the three congressional offices, the governor, the legislature and county offices. It would be a South Dakota primary, not a Republican or Democrat primary. Candidates would have more competition to get into office, and they’d have to tailor their message to appeal to larger numbers of South Dakotans, not just a partisan few.
Open primaries make sure the winning candidate is the one most South Dakotans agree on. It is a fairer and more competitive process. Plus, it
tends to reduce the partisan polarization that has come to characterize our current system.
Please consider signing our petition to put open primaries on the November ballot.
Open primaries let all voters vote!
-Joe Kirby, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Open Primaries, chairman