WE NEED YOU - Help Prevent Nursing Home Voting Shenanigans
Accusations of retirement home voting fraud have raised concerns about voting in SD nursing facilities. Leah Anderson, GOP Candidate for Minnehaha Auditor, gives us an inside look at the law.
“The greatest threat to the constitutional right to vote, is voter fraud” — U.S. Representative Lynn Westmoreland
Everyone wants their vote and the votes of their loved ones correctly recorded and counted. As a result, it is not surprising that I have received a number of questions about voting in retirement homes.
While there have been reports that the law was not followed in the past, in preparation for this upcoming general election, the Minnehaha County Auditor’s Office is taking steps to conduct general election retirement home voting in compliance with the law. Specifically the Auditor has asked nursing facilities to arrange a time when his staff can oversee the voting.
The law also says “Any political party … may assign a person to accompany the auditor's representatives…”
This means you have an opportunity to GET INVOLVED. Here are the available times:
- Fri. 9/30, morning or afternoon
- Wed. 10/5, morning
- Thur. 10/6, morning
- Fri. 10/7, afternoon
- Wed. 10/12, morning
- Thurs. 10/13, morning
- Mon. 10/17, morning or afternoon
- Tue. 10/18, afternoon
- Mon. 10/24, morning or afternoonTo help out, please contact Maggie Sutton (maggie.gopminnehaha@gmail.com) with the time block(s) you are available.
In case you are interested, here are more specifics on the South Dakota laws that governs voting in retirement homes. Unfortunately, the law only applies to general elections. A number of people have expressed concern about voting issues during the primary election. To improve transparency and eliminate the possibility of shenanigans, the same procedure should be followed during all elections. Please contact your legislators to make sure the law is modified so these rules apply to all elections.
12-19-9.1. Nursing facility, assisted living center, or hospital having multiple absentee ballot requests.
If there is any nursing facility, assisted living center, or hospital, as defined in § 34-12-1.1, within any county from which there might reasonably be expected to be five or more absentee applications, the county auditor shall notify the person in charge of that facility and the chair of the county central committee of each party and any other person who has filed a request to be notified of the date and time at which representatives of the auditor's office will be present to assist the residents of that facility to vote, utilizing the absentee procedure. Any political party, independent candidate, and nonpolitical candidate may assign a person to accompany the auditor's representatives. At the date and time announced, the auditor's representative shall deliver ballots to and assist all persons at that facility who desire such assistance and who have applied for absentee ballots. This section applies only to a general election.
If a person in charge of an election conducts absentee voting at a nursing facility, assisted living center, or hospital as defined in § 34-12-1.1, the voter shall complete a combined absentee ballot application/return envelope and the identification and affidavit requirements provided in § 12-19-2.1 are waived.
Here’s your chance to make a difference and help make sure our elections are fair and the results are accurate.
Thanks, Leah