Initiative & Referendum Protections
South Dakota needs to protect majority rule. We were the first to enshrine the initiative and referendum process in our state constitution in 1898, but there have been multiple attempts to erode the power of this check on the state legislature. Interfering with the popular majority by requiring supermajorities should rightly be voted down. As recently happened with Amendment C, Republicans have attempted to set up more hurdles to prevent South Dakotans from voting through policies that the GOP opposes, like the expansion of health care coverage, and have done so at times when they hope turnout will be low, like the June primary. When a majority of South Dakotans support a ballot measure, it is the responsibility of the legislature to honor the will of the people.