Noem signs ‘Zuck bucks’ election ban into law - KELOLAND.com
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — You can soon add South Dakota to the states where only taxpayers are allowed to pay for elections. Governor Kristi Noem signed that new restriction into law Wednesday.
Starting July 1, state and local governments in South Dakota can’t accept any funds, grants or gifts to run their elections, unless that source is the local, state or federal government.
The only exceptions are things of “nominal or intrinsic value,” and the Legislature left that definition up to the state Board of Elections.
Senator Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, brought the legislation. It applies to expenses such as polling place workers and ballot counters. It won’t affect how candidates and ballot question committees fund their campaigns.
The prohibition was a response to $350 million that Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife provided, through the Chicago-based Center for Technology and Civic Life, to various jurisdictions across the nation for the 2020 elections, including more than $350,000 spread among 38 South Dakota counties.
The ban sailed through the Senate 32-3 along Republican-Democrat lines. But the 68-2 tally in the House saw all eight Democrats get on board; nays came from Republicans Steve Haugaard of Sioux Falls, who’s challenging Noem for the GOP nomination, and Tina Mulally of Rapid City.
Frequently state and local governments welcome financial gifts. But that shouldn’t be the case for elections, the governor said.
“This would ban situations like we saw with ‘Zuck bucks’ that came in, and a billionaire gave millions of dollars into our election system, which we believe tainted the integrity of it,” Noem said. She added, “In South Dakota we recognize the important work of protecting our election laws, that we don’t want outside private dollars influencing that, and it’s incredibly important that we pass laws like this.”
The outside-money prohibition was among 14 more bills the governor’s office announced Wednesday that she had signed. Among others were:
Requiring state agencies to provide certain information for initiated measure or constitutional amendment fiscal notes.
Providing legislative oversight of settlement agreements involving a state entity or official.
Allowing local regulation of motorized foot scooters.
Prohibiting forms of caller ID manipulation.
Eric Peterson introduced as new South Dakota men's basketball coach.
CONNECTING...source: https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/noem-signs-zuck-bucks-election-ban-into-law/
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