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South Dakota Secretary of State Faces Lawsuit Over Voter Notification Letters for Federal-Only Registrants

South Dakota Secretary of State Faces Lawsuit Over Voter Notification Letters for Federal-Only Registrants

A federal judge in Sioux Falls is currently reviewing a lawsuit against South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson and the state Board of Elections. The lawsuit, filed by the League of Women Voters and Sioux Falls resident Jaysen Hill, alleges that the state is violating the U.S. Constitution by sending misleading notification letters to voters registered as 'federal-only.' These letters, sent by county auditors under the Secretary of State's guidance, primarily cite mail-forwarding address issues as the reason for federal-only status, even when the actual reason is a failure to provide citizenship documentation. American Civil Liberties Union attorney William Hancock, representing the League, argues that these letters are inaccurate, misleading, and violate the due process rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, which requires accurate information and a means to respond. The lawsuit seeks to compel the state to accept photocopies of certain IDs for voter registration, rescind guidance requiring in-per...

Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar Under Justice Department Investigation for Voter Records

Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar Under Justice Department Investigation for Voter Records

Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar is currently under investigation by the Justice Department, which has issued seven voter-related subpoenas and a litigation-hold letter. The letter informs Aguilar that he is under investigation and in ongoing litigation for alleged non-compliance with duties under the Civil Rights Act, the National Voter Registration Act, and the Help America Vote Act. The Justice Department is demanding the preservation of 2024 election records beyond the federal 22-month retention window, warning of civil and criminal sanctions for non-compliance. This development follows Aguilar's repeated refusal to provide the state's unredacted statewide voter registration list, citing Nevada law that bars public access to driver's license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. A federal judge previously dismissed the department's civil lawsuit seeking this data, a decision that the department has appealed to the Ninth Circuit. Aguilar's office recently moved 400,000 voter records to...

Justice Department Directs States to Preserve 2024 Election Records Amidst Voter Data Disputes

Justice Department Directs States to Preserve 2024 Election Records Amidst Voter Data Disputes

The Trump administration's Justice Department has instructed officials in over two dozen states to preserve records from the 2024 election. This directive is part of an ongoing effort by the administration to compel states to provide detailed voter records, despite facing multiple court losses in these attempts. Letters were sent to 29 states and the District of Columbia, advising election officials against destroying these records. The Justice Department has previously filed lawsuits to gain access to voter registration information, which includes addresses, dates of birth, driver's license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. One such letter, obtained by The Associated Press, informed Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson that she was 'under investigation' and subject to ongoing litigation for not providing statewide voter registration lists. Eric Neff, acting chief of the Civil Rights Division's Voting Section, warned that failure to preserve relevant data could lead to 'civil and criminal sanctions' ...

Mail in ballot rules spark voter confusion. Where do things stand?

Mail in ballot rules spark voter confusion. Where do things stand?

Legal battles over USPS rules are causing confusion for voters. Learn how to ensure your ballot is counted.

Representative Nikki Budzinski and Colleagues Challenge Postal Service Rule on Mail-In Voting

Representative Nikki Budzinski and Colleagues Challenge Postal Service Rule on Mail-In Voting

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), alongside 97 other colleagues, have urged Postmaster General David P. Steiner to revoke a Postal Service rule. This rule codifies President Trump’s Executive Order 14399, which aims to control mail-in ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The lawmakers expressed concerns that the rule risks harming the democratic process and damaging the USPS's relationship with millions of Americans who rely on mail-in voting. They argue that the order imposes unconstitutional and unworkable restrictions, including requiring states to provide a 'citizenship verification list' and attempting to give USPS control over who can vote by mail. A 2025 Brookings Institution study found an average of just four cases of voter fraud for every 10 million mail-in ballots cast, indicating that states using universal mail-in voting have among the lowest fraud rates.

Texas Supreme Court Blocks Galveston County's Post-Primary Redistricting

Texas Supreme Court Blocks Galveston County's Post-Primary Redistricting

The Texas Supreme Court has prohibited Galveston County from implementing newly redrawn voting precinct maps for the upcoming November general election. The court ruled that county leaders improperly altered district lines after the primary elections had already taken place. State law mandates that the 'conduct of elections be uniform and consistent throughout this state,' and the court found that Galveston County's actions violated this principle. The county had argued that state law, which grants commissioners the power to redraw precinct lines 'from time to time,' allowed them to make these changes. However, the Supreme Court stated that the county failed to identify any historical precedent or valid legal authority for redrawing boundaries mid-election cycle. The new boundaries, which affect precincts for county commissioners, constables, and justices of the peace, were redrawn and approved on June 29.

US appeals court rejects Trump mail-in ballot restrictions as Supreme Court considers rule

US appeals court rejects Trump mail-in ballot restrictions as Supreme Court considers rule

By Nate Raymond BOSTON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Thursday declined to allow President Donald Trump's administration to implement a new U.S. Postal Service rule that would tighten mail-in voting requirements before November's congressional elections, as the U.S.

California and States Warn Supreme Court of 'Chaos' Over USPS Mail Ballot Rules

California and States Warn Supreme Court of 'Chaos' Over USPS Mail Ballot Rules

California and 23 other states, along with the District of Columbia, have warned the U.S. Supreme Court that new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) rules for mail ballots, implemented under President Trump's executive order, would cause widespread disruption and could disenfranchise millions of voters in the upcoming November election. The Democrat-led coalition argued that compliance with these rules would be impossible for some states before the midterms, preventing many from voting by mail or at all. They also cited objections from officials in conservative states like Utah, Florida, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin, who anticipate an "unmitigated disaster" if the rules proceed. The new regulations require states to submit complete voter lists to the Postal Service and adopt new ballot envelopes with individualized voter bar codes. The Postal Service would then reject any mail ballots not matching these lists. Additionally, President Trump's order directed the Department of Homeland Security to develop its own list o...

Absentee Ballots Dispatched to Wisconsin Voters Amid Supreme Court Review of President Trump's Restrictions

Absentee Ballots Dispatched to Wisconsin Voters Amid Supreme Court Review of President Trump's Restrictions

Absentee ballots are currently being sent to Wisconsin voters, with nearly 50,000 ballots already dispatched as of Monday, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. This distribution is proceeding despite President Trump's ongoing efforts to restrict mail-in voting through an executive order, which is currently under review by the U.S. Supreme Court. President Trump had previously asked the Supreme Court to intervene, and the high court had cleared a path for his order, which would mandate states to provide voter data for absentee requests and grant the U.S. Postal Service authority to withhold ballots from certain voters. However, a lower federal court has twice blocked the Postal Service's rule for implementing this order, which would give the Postal Service control over who is eligible to vote absentee. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has advised clerks that the federal rule is not in effect, allowing them to continue sending out ballots under standard procedures. The city of Madison, for inst...

Watch: Fred Couples sinks incredible pitch shot without looking

Watch: Fred Couples sinks incredible pitch shot without looking

Fred Couples wowed fans at a South Dakota event by sinking a pitch shot without even watching the ball go in.

Representative Dusty Johnson Addresses New Citizens at South Dakota Naturalization Ceremony

Representative Dusty Johnson Addresses New Citizens at South Dakota Naturalization Ceremony

U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson delivered the keynote address at a naturalization ceremony held at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. During the event, 138 individuals from 48 different countries officially became U.S. citizens by taking the Oath of Allegiance. The ceremony also featured the singing of the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance, and new citizens had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the audience. Representative Johnson emphasized the significant role each new citizen plays in strengthening the nation, stating that their contributions through daily actions, civic participation, and community involvement will make the country stronger. These new citizens will reside in 33 different communities across South Dakota.

South Dakota Attorney General Nominee Lance Russell Aims to Continue Jackley's Programs with Local Tweaks

South Dakota Attorney General Nominee Lance Russell Aims to Continue Jackley's Programs with Local Tweaks

Lance Russell, the unopposed Republican nominee for South Dakota Attorney General, plans to continue many of the programs initiated by current Attorney General Marty Jackley. Russell, who secured the party's nomination at the state convention in June, will assume the role as Jackley is running for the U.S. House. Russell, a former state's attorney for Fall River and Oglala Lakota Counties and a four-term state representative and two-term state senator, expressed his intention to 'tweak the system and make it work better for the locals.' He acknowledged the effective functioning of entities under the Attorney General's office, such as the Division of Criminal Investigation and the State Crime Lab. While he campaigned on a platform to undo some criminal justice reforms he opposed during his legislative tenure, Russell indicated that his first year would focus on implementing Jackley's ongoing legislative efforts rather than immediately pursuing his own ambitious reform package.