PIERRE, S.D.(HubCityRadio)- On Wednesday, the South Dakota Senate State Affairs Committee heard testimony on SB217. The bill prohibit the use of automatic tabulating equipment.
Prime sponsor of the bill was Senator John Carley of Piedmont.
Carley told the committee that tabulating machines have not shown to speed up election results.
Rick Weible of Midwest Swamp Watch believes the machines are not reliable.
Jessica Pollema of SD Canvassing believes county auditors are not following proper procedures.
McPherson County GOP Chairperson Mike Klipfel tells the commission that the board is in support of this bill.
A number of county auditors opposed this bill including McPherson County Auditor Lindley Howard. Howard discuss the cost of running elections in the county.
Howard told the committee about the audit that was done following the 2024 primary elections which was done by hand.
Also opposing was Tom Deadrick from the Secretary of State’s Office.
During questioning, Senator Carl Perry brought up comments he heard from a citizen in Brown County.
Perry proposed to place it on the 41st day. Senator Randy Deibert of Spearfish defended the motion.
The committee voted 5-4 to defer the bill to the 41st day defeating the bill.
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