South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden signed a bill on Thursday that requires new registered voters to prove that they are United States citizens in order to cast a ballot in state elections.
In the press release, Senate Bill 175 was explained to:
only appl[y] to state elections and only impacts new registrants. If a South Dakota resident is already registered to vote, there is nothing for that indiv...
The strongest version of this narrative frames SB 175 as a measured approach to election integrity, distinguishing it from more restrictive federal proposals like the SAVE Act by allowing multiple forms of citizenship verification. It acknowledges the immediate implementation and administrative preparations, suggesting a coordinated effort to minimize disruption while enforcing new standards. The law’s focus on new registrants rather than existing voters could be seen as a compromise, avoiding r...