A bill that would eliminate absentee voting on Election Day is sailing through the Legislature. Currently, walk-up absentee voting is allowed in-person at the courthouse through 3 p.m. on Election Day. The proposal that the House of Representatives is expected to approve today would cut off that type of absentee voting at 5 p.m. on the day before the election. It was approved on a 12-0 vote Tuesday by the House Local Government committee. The Senate previously approved the legislation on a 32-1 vote.
Secretary of State Jason Gant said it would eliminate the possibility of someone casting ballots twice on Election Day — once at the courthouse and once at the voter’s designated polling place. He described it as “a good change we need to make.”
An exception would remain for people who are ill or otherwise unable to get to the polls on Election Day. In those cases, they use a messenger and a set of official forms for obtaining and returning ballots. Rep. Karen Soli, D-Sioux Falls, said she was “mystified” when she first learned she could vote absentee at the courthouse on Election Day.
“I don’t know why you would want to do that,” she said.
Full Article: Bill eliminates absentee voting on Election Day.