South Dakota 2022 ballot measures

Elections in South Dakota, 2022

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As of September 9, 2025, three statewide ballot measures were certified to appear on the ballot in South Dakota in 2022.

• There was one ballot measure, Amendment C, on the ballot for June 7. Voters rejected Amendment C.
• Two other measures are certified for the November 2022 ballot. Voters approved Amendment D and rejected Initiated Measure 27.

HIGHLIGHTS

On June 7, voters rejected Amendment C, which would have required a three-fifths vote of approval for ballot measures that increase taxes or fees or required the state to appropriate $10 million or more in the first five fiscal years.

On November 8, voters approved Amendment D, which would expanded Medicaid to persons with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level.

On November 8, voters rejected Initiated Measure 27, which would have legalized marijuana.

On the ballot

June 7, 2022:

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Constitutional Amendment C	Require a three-fifths vote of approval for ballot measures that increase taxes or fees or require the state to appropriate $10 million or more in the first five fiscal years		59,125 (33%)	122,417 (67%)

November 8, 2022:

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
CICA	Constitutional Amendment D	Expand Medicaid to persons with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level	a	192,057 (56%)	149,616 (44%)
CISS	Initiated Measure 27	Legalize marijuana in South Dakota		163,584 (47%)	183,879 (53%)

Getting measures on the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in South Dakota and Signature requirements for ballot measures in South Dakota

Citizens of South Dakota may initiate legislation as either a state statute or a constitutional amendment. In South Dakota, citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum. The South Dakota State Legislature may also place measures on the ballot as legislatively referred constitutional amendments or legislatively referred state statutes with a majority vote of each chamber.

In South Dakota, signature requirements are tied to the number of votes cast for the office of governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. For statutes or veto referendums, valid signatures equal to 5 percent of this vote are required. For constitutional amendments, signatures equal to 10 percent are required. For 2022, a total of 33,921 signatures are required for initiated constitutional amendments and 16,961 signatures are required for initiated statutes and veto referendums.

In South Dakota, proponents may circulate constitutional amendment petitions for up to one year. Proponents are allowed to begin collecting signatures up to two years prior to the election at which the measure will appear on the ballot. Signatures must be filed at least one year prior to the election (November 8, 2021, for initiatives targeting the November 8, 2022, ballot). On August 30, 2021, the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota Northern Division ruled that, for measures amending or adding a state law, the signature deadline is the first Tuesday in May of an election year, which is May 3, 2022, for 2022 ballot measures. For referendum petitions, the completed signature petitions must be submitted within 90 days after the legislative session in which the targeted law was approved adjourns.

Referral of 2022 constitutional amendments

The following table illustrates the vote requirements for the constitutional amendments certified for the ballot, the votes the amendment received, and how Democrats and Republicans voted on the amendment in each legislative chamber:

No measures to list

Historical facts

See also: List of South Dakota ballot measures and History of Initiative & Referendum in South Dakota

In South Dakota, a total of 112 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2020. Forty-nine ballot measures were approved, and 63 ballot measures were defeated.

South Dakota statewide ballot measures, 1985-2020
Total number	Annual average	Annual minimum	Annual maximum	Approved		Defeated
				#	%	#	%
112	3.16	0	11	49	43.75	63	56.25

Ballot initiative certification rates

See also: Ballot initiatives filed for the 2022 ballot

The following table shows the rate of certification for ballot initiatives in South Dakota between 2010 and 2020:

South Dakota statewide ballot initiatives filed and certified, 2010-2020
Year	Ballot initiatives filed	Certified
		#	%
2020	5	2	40.0
2018	20	3	15.0
2016	10	9	90.0
2014	2	2	100.0
2012	5	3	60.0
2010	5	2	40.0
Averages	7.8	3.5	57.5

Not on the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Status
CICA	Medicaid Expansion Amendment	Healthcare	Expands Medicaid benefits to adults between 18 and 65 with incomes below 133% of the federal poverty level
CICA	Independent Redistricting Commission Amendment	Redistricting	Creates an independent redistricting commission that would be responsible for state legislative redistricting
CICA	Top-Two Primary Initiative	Elections and campaigns	Establishes a top-two open primary election system
LRCA	Mobile Sports Betting Amendment	Gambling	Provides for mobile or electronic sports betting
CISS	Initiated Measure 28	Healthcare	Expands Medicaid in South Dakota to adults between 18 and 65 with incomes below 133% of the federal poverty level; directs Department of Social Services to promulgate implementing rules

See also

• 2022 ballot measures
• List of South Dakota ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in South Dakota
• South Dakota Legislature

External links

• South Dakota Secretary of State website