Title 12, ELECTIONS

A new political party may be organized and participate in the primary election by filing with the secretary of state not later than the last Tuesday of March at five p.m. prior to the date of the primary election, a written declaration signed by at least one percent of the voters…

A political party shall adopt a Constitution or a set of bylaws to govern its organization and the conduct of its affairs and exercise thereunder any power not inconsistent with laws of this state. The party central committee shall certify to and file with the secretary of state …

It shall be the duty of the secretary of state to promptly notify the county auditor of each county of the effect of any provision of a party Constitution or bylaw which affects an election to be conducted. Source: SL 1974, ch 118 , § 27.

If a political party qualifies for the primary ballot under § 12-5-1 , each candidate intending to participate in a primary election shall file a nominating petition pursuant to § 12-6-4 . In each primary election following the qualification of a political party and prior to the …

If a new political party organizing does not have a candidate for United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, Governor, or Legislature, who is nominated at a primary election, the new political party may be organized by filing with the secretary of state not lat…

No person may employ, reward, or compensate any person to circulate a petition for the organization of a political party based on the number of registered voters who signed the petition. Nothing in this section prohibits any person from employing a petition circulator based on on…

The person receiving the highest number of votes of his or her party, shall be declared elected precinct committeeman and committeewoman respectively, of their party, and shall hold such position for two years, or until his or her successor is elected unless otherwise provided by…

The county central committee of a political party is comprised of precinct committeemen and precinct committeewomen of the political party; the state committeemen and committeewomen; the county chairperson, vice-chairperson, and secretary-treasurer or secretary and treasurer; and…

The county central committee may fill vacancies in its membership, except for public officers, in accordance with the party's constitution or bylaws. Source: SL 1929, ch 118 , § 53; SL 1937, ch 120 , § 4; SDC 1939, § 16.0241; SL 1945, ch 76 ; SL 1949, ch 73 ; SL 1963, ch 107 , § …

Each political party shall hold a state convention in each even-numbered year for the purposes stated in § 12-5-21 . The state central committee of each political party shall determine the time and place of the convention. The chair of the committee shall notify the secretary of …

At the state convention of a political party, each delegate shall vote the number of votes equal to his proportionate representation as to all delegates present from that county bears to the number of votes cast in his county at the last gubernatorial election for his party candi…

Each political party may elect precinct committeemen and precinct committeewomen at each primary election. If a party chooses to elect precinct committeemen and committeewomen at the primary election pursuant to §§ 12-5-4 to 12-5-13 , inclusive, the party shall provide for such e…

In a year when the Governor is to be elected, the delegates selected to participate in the state convention shall nominate candidates for attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, commissioner of school and public lands, and public utilities commission…

A candidate for Governor shall nominate a candidate for lieutenant governor by certifying the nomination to the secretary of state no later than five p.m. central time on the second Tuesday in August in the year of the election. The candidate for Governor and the candidate's nomi…

Nominations by a state convention shall be made by a majority vote of the votes cast and shall be certified to the secretary of state by the officers of the convention, within three days of the close of the convention. No certification may be received by the secretary of state la…

A political party with alternative political status may nominate a candidate for United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, Governor, and any legislative seat by convention, if the nomination is submitted with the proper documentation to the Office of the Secre…

A new political party may nominate a candidate for United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, Governor, and any legislative seat by convention, if the nomination is submitted with the proper documentation to the Office of the Secretary of State no later than 5:…

If the bylaws of a political party do not prescribe a method of selecting a slate of delegates and alternates to the party's national convention, the slates of delegates and alternates to the national convention must be elected by the primary. The number of candidates comprising …

Under a petition filed under § 12-5-3.11 , the first nominating petition filed indicating a preference choice for any given person for President of the United States shall give the slate listed thereon the exclusive right to have their names appear on the ballot in preference of …

In any election conducted under §§ 12-5-3.11 and 12-5-3.12 , the slate that receives the most votes shall elect all of its delegates and alternates on that slate. Source: SL 1977, ch 107 , § 8.

Any candidate, committee, or group supporting a candidate in any presidential primary, shall, by the last Tuesday in March prior to the presidential primary election, notify the secretary of state of an intention to have the name of the candidate placed on the presidential primar…

The State Board of Elections may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 1-26 to implement §§ 12-5-3.6 to 12-5-3.14 , inclusive. Source: SL 1977, ch 107 , § 9.

The chairperson of the national convention of each political party recognized pursuant to § 12-1-3 or 12-5-1 shall certify the names of the convention nominees for President and vice - president of each political party to the secretary of state immediately following the conventio…

A state political party, in its Constitution or bylaws, shall determine the method of allocating delegates and alternates to its next national convention. Source: SL 1973, ch 73 , § 2; SL 1974, ch 120 , § 1; SDCL § 12-5-3.3; SL 1977, ch 107 , § 1; SL 2007, ch 74 , § 5.

If a political party chooses to have a primary for selection of its delegates and alternates to the national convention, the party shall certify the candidate names or the delegate and alternate slates which are to be listed on the primary ballot to the secretary of state by the …

The state chairperson of the political party shall certify the candidates or slates to the secretary of state. If the state chairperson wrongfully refuses to certify any candidate or slate, the aggrieved candidate or slate of delegates and alternates is entitled to a writ of mand…

A candidate for party precinct committeeman or committeewoman shall file a statement in writing, with the county auditor of the county in which he or she is a candidate, not later than the last Tuesday in March before the primary election. The statement must include the candidate…

Any candidate who has filed a statement of candidacy, as required by § 12-5-4 , having no opposing candidate shall automatically be elected, and after the canvass of the primary shall be so declared. Source: SL 1972, ch 79 , § 1.

A county auditor shall forward to the secretary of state: (1) The name of each candidate for precinct committeeman or committeewoman, upon the filing of the candidate's statement pursuant to § 12-5-4 ; (2) The results of each election for precinct committeeman or committeewoman h…

The county auditor shall include on the official ballot for a primary election the name of each candidate for precinct committeeman or precinct committeewoman, in the manner prescribed by the State Board of Elections. Source: SL 1929, ch 118 , § 10; SL 1931, ch 146 ; SL 1937, ch …

Only candidates nominated pursuant to § 12-5-4 shall be voted upon for such precinct committeeman or committeewoman. Source: SL 1929, ch 118 , § 7; SL 1937, ch 120 , § 2; SDC 1939, § 16.0212; SL 1941, ch 77 ; SL 1951, ch 90 ; SL 1957, ch 83 , § 2; SL 1959, ch 90 ; SL 1972, ch 79 …