PIERRE, S.D. AP — The South Dakota Supreme Court has turned down a request to exclude over 100 absentee ballots that were initially rejected but later counted in the June election.
A conservative election group leader and a Republican legislative candidate who lost had asked the court to make the top election official in Minnehaha County, where Sioux Falls is located, revert to the original vote totals without the 132 ballots. They also wanted a thorough review of registered voters in two precincts.
On Friday, the court denied their request, meaning the ballots will remain counted as they were included by a recount board.
In June, Jessica Pollema, President of South Dakota Canvassing, challenged ballots in two precincts. She claimed that some voter registration forms were incomplete or listed incorrect addresses, violating state and federal laws. One precinct board dismissed her challenge, while the other rejected 132 out of 164 challenged ballots in a district represented entirely by Democrats.
The Secretary of State’s office, led by Monae Johnson, got involved, advising that the challenges did not meet state law requirements.