(A) Preparation of ballots. The Clerk or Finance Officer shall prepare and furnish, at the expense of the municipality, all official ballots. The ballots shall be white in color, of good quality of print paper, printed in black ink, and in the English language only.
(B) Form of ballots. The names of the candidates for each office to be voted for in the precinct shall be arranged without any other designation than that of the office for which they are candidates. If more than one member of the governing body is to be elected, the ballot shall contain instructions as to how many candidates for the governing body are to be voted for. The Clerk or Finance Officer shall determine, by lot, each candidate’s position on the ballot. Each candidate may be present or represented when the position on the ballot is being determined. A square or a circle shall appear at the left of the name of each candidate, and no other square or circle may appear on the ballot. No candidate’s name may be printed upon the official ballot unless the candidate has been nominated as provided in this chapter.
(Prior Code, § 32.01)
Statutory reference:
Related provisions, see SDCL § 9-13-21
(A) Municipal officials shall make the following legal publications in the official newspaper in conjunction with municipal elections:
(1) Two notices identifying which vacancies will occur by termination of the terms of office of elective officers, stating the time and place where nominating petitions may be filed. These notices are to be published once each week for two consecutive weeks between January 25 and February 10;
(2) Two notices of the availability of registration officials, stating when registration will be terminated and the effect of a failure to register. The notice must be published at least once each week for two consecutive weeks. The last publication to be not less than ten nor more than 15 days before the deadline for registration; and
(3) Two notices of election, published once each week for two consecutive weeks, the first publication being not less than ten days prior to the election. A facsimile of the official ballot shall be published at least four days prior to each election.
(B) If there is to be a secondary election, a notice of election shall be published once during the week before any secondary election, which shall include a list of all persons appearing on the ballot for the election.
(Prior Code, § 32.02)
Statutory reference:
Related provisions, see SDCL §§ 9-13-6, 9-13-13, and 12-4-5.2
(A) Special elections shall be held on certain ordinances and initiated measures, and when creating boards and commissions, increasing the tax levy, and/or imposing certain special mill levies in addition to the 27-ml requirement for general purposes.
(B) Special elections are to be held upon the same notice, at the same polling places, be conducted, returned, and canvassed, and the result declared as provided for the annual municipal election. The notice of the special election shall state any question or question to be voted upon.
(Prior Code, § 32.03)
Statutory reference:
Related provisions, see SDCL § 9-13-14
Any municipality may adopt an ordinance to meet the provisions of SDCL Chapter 12-27 with or without any amendments applicable to municipal elections.
(Prior Code, § 32.04) (Ord. 2023-04, passed 7-6-2023)
Statutory reference:
For candidate’s financial interest statements, see SDCL § 12-27-39
Related provisions, SDCL § 12-1-2.1