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2026 Ballot Questions

Legislatively-referred measures, citizen-initiated questions approved for circulation, and other potential questions in progress for the 2026 general election.

Timeline

2026 cycle basics

The 30-month window for this cycle's ballot measures opened May 3, 2024 — the earliest date sponsors could submit measure language to the Legislative Research Council (LRC) for the review required under SDCL 12-13-25. The deadline to have a petition ready for circulation ahead of the 2026 general election (November 3, 2026) was November 3, 2025, and the signature deadline is May 5, 2026 — though that date is subject to pending litigation and may change.

On the Ballot

2026 general election ballot measures

Constitutional amendments referred directly by the 2025 Legislature.

Letter I

Conditioning expanded Medicaid on federal funding level

Referred by the 2025 Legislature — HJR 5001
Validated 3/6/2025
Letter J

Requiring U.S. citizenship to vote

Referred by the 2025 Legislature — SJR 503
Validated 3/12/2025
Letter K

Establishing a trust for the unclaimed property fund

Referred by the 2025 Legislature — SJR 505
Validated 3/12/2025
Letter L

Requiring 60% approval to pass a constitutional amendment

Referred by the 2025 Legislature — HJR 5003
Validated 3/12/2025

Signature Gathering

Citizen measures approved for circulation

These citizen-initiated measures have cleared review and are approved for petition circulation.

Constitutional

Require a public vote to change initiative & referendum procedures

Sponsor: Rick Weiland
Sioux Falls, SD · 605-610-8146
Approved for circulation 3/27/2025 — AG draft · AG final · Petition
Constitutional

Require supermajority & public vote to amend initiated measures within 7 years

Sponsor: Rick Weiland
Sioux Falls, SD · 605-610-8146
Approved for circulation 3/27/2025 — AG draft · AG final · Petition
Constitutional

Repeal property taxes, replace with a retail transaction tax

Sponsors: Mike Mueller, Julie Frye-Mueller, Matt Smith
Rapid City, SD · 605-390-6253
Approved for circulation 11/3/2025 — AG final statement · full text
Referred Act

Homeowner Property Tax Reduction Fund

Referendum on SB 245 — Sponsors: Matt Edzards, Ned Horsted, Chase Jensen
Sioux Falls, SD · 605-770-5537
Approved for circulation 4/29/2026 — Petition

Early Stage

Other potential ballot questions

Measures submitted for review that have not yet reached the circulation stage.

Initiated Measure

Require non-denominational prayer in South Dakota public K–12 schools

Sponsor: Hillel Hellinger — North Miami Beach, FL
Constitutional

Bar laws that restrict the power of initiative & referendum

Sponsor: Rick Weiland — Sioux Falls, SD
Constitutional

Require a two-thirds legislative vote to change or repeal initiated measures

Sponsor: Rick Weiland — Sioux Falls, SD
Initiated Measure

Fair market value property assessment

Sponsor: Joe Hurly — Sioux Falls, SD

Money

Ballot question committees

Campaign finance filings for ballot question committees and other committees can be searched through the state's reporting system.

Search campaign finance reports →
Current Documents

Official forms and resources

Current documents from the official SDSOS Elections pages are stored with this redesigned page for reliable access.