South Dakota county moves to restrict voting rights for full-time RVers

Many people have been asking us about voting issues for full-time RVers, particularly in the State of South Dakota. South Dakota’s Minnehaha County, specifically, has cracked down on people who use a mail forwarding service in that county. It has been actively trying to restrict full-time travelers’ right to vote.

Absentee ballots from Dakota Post clients were all contested in the June 4, 2024, South Dakota primary election. Even though the full-time travelers, mainly RVers, were official residents of the State of South Dakota, their votes were not counted. When questioned as to why, it was because they did not live in South Dakota.

Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson had designated Dakota Post mail forwarding service as its own precinct, 4-16. Then activist Jessica Pollema, with the South Dakota Canvassing Group, contested all of the approximately 160 absentee ballots from the 4-16 precinct.

A recount was called for by the candidates who lost by a small margin of votes. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the League of Women Voters (LWV) went to work to get all of the contested votes finally counted. Here is a link to the article and letter sent to the SD Secretary of State, Minnehaha County Auditor, Minnehaha County Commissioners, and the Minnehaha County Recount Board.





https://www.rvtravel.com/south-dakota-county-moves-to-restrict-voting-rights-for-full-time-rvers-1165b/