Senate defeats bill that would ban county vote centers after lengthy debate
February 05, 2025 | 2025 Legislative SD, South Dakota
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Senator Pischke introduced Senate Bill 103, an act to prohibit the use of voter centers in a county, and the Senate rejected the measure on a roll call of 13 yeas and 22 nays.
Supporters of the bill argued vote centers and the electronic poll books that often accompany them create a cybersecurity risk and can undermine precinct-based voting. “They are vulnerable to hacking,” Senator Pyschke said during debate. She described scenarios in which an attacker could alter electronic poll-book records and allow people to vote multiple times.
Opponents framed the issue as one of local control and voter access, particularly for rural and reservation communities that use consolidated vote centers to reduce travel barriers. “We are not California. We are not Arizona. We are South Dakota,” Senator Divert said, urging colleagues to preserve options counties have adopted. Senator Melhoff told the Senate, “It seems a little heavy handed for this state legislature to pass a bill to tell counties that they have to abandon a method of running their elections that is working just great for them.”
Other senators said the electronic poll books used with vote centers do not record how someone votes and that paper ballots and post-election audits protect ballot integrity. “The electronic poll book does not capture how someone votes, only that they did vote, period,” Senator Duhamel said. Senator Wheeler argued decentralization — separate elections run by each county auditor — is itself an integrity feature and that counties should retain the option to use vote centers for convenience and ADA access.
Questions from colleagues focused on technical details and mitigation: Senator Hulse asked if dual-tracking (a paper ledger alongside e‑poll books) could address security concerns; Senator Pyschke said she did not believe that would fully resolve the risks she described. Senators representing counties and tribal areas described local experience with vote centers, with several auditors and county officials having told lawmakers they favor retaining the option.
After final debate, the secretary called the roll; the Senate recorded 13 yays and 22 nays, and President declared the bill lost.
The vote leaves in place the existing statutory framework that allows counties to choose whether to operate vote centers; senators who opposed SB103 said counties should continue deciding whether the practice suits local conditions.
Supporters of the bill argued vote centers and the electronic poll books that often accompany them create a cybersecurity risk and can undermine precinct-based voting. “They are vulnerable to hacking,” Senator Pyschke said during debate. She described scenarios in which an attacker could alter electronic poll-book records and allow people to vote multiple times.
Opponents framed the issue as one of local control and voter access, particularly for rural and reservation communities that use consolidated vote centers to reduce travel barriers. “We are not California. We are not Arizona. We are South Dakota,” Senator Divert said, urging colleagues to preserve options counties have adopted. Senator Melhoff told the Senate, “It seems a little heavy handed for this state legislature to pass a bill to tell counties that they have to abandon a method of running their elections that is working just great for them.”
Other senators said the electronic poll books used with vote centers do not record how someone votes and that paper ballots and post-election audits protect ballot integrity. “The electronic poll book does not capture how someone votes, only that they did vote, period,” Senator Duhamel said. Senator Wheeler argued decentralization — separate elections run by each county auditor — is itself an integrity feature and that counties should retain the option to use vote centers for convenience and ADA access.
Questions from colleagues focused on technical details and mitigation: Senator Hulse asked if dual-tracking (a paper ledger alongside e‑poll books) could address security concerns; Senator Pyschke said she did not believe that would fully resolve the risks she described. Senators representing counties and tribal areas described local experience with vote centers, with several auditors and county officials having told lawmakers they favor retaining the option.
After final debate, the secretary called the roll; the Senate recorded 13 yays and 22 nays, and President declared the bill lost.
The vote leaves in place the existing statutory framework that allows counties to choose whether to operate vote centers; senators who opposed SB103 said counties should continue deciding whether the practice suits local conditions.
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