'Tis the Campaign Season

April 2026 | Eric Jennings, Lawrence County Commissioner Opinion Editorial, Black Hills Pioneer

Tis the season for campaign ads and yard signs. There is no mistaking election time in South Dakota, because no matter how hard you try, you just can’t avoid the signs, mailers, commercials, and ads. Candidates work hard to gain name recognition and communicate their message, but before all that a candidate must get their name on the ballot.

Candidates must get a certain number of valid signatures on a petition to earn a place on the ballot. These petitions can be picked up at the County Auditor’s office, South Dakota Secretary of State (SOS) office, or even downloaded online. Candidates must have a voting address in the same county or district they are seeking election and have the properly filled out petition notarized. The number of signatures required is based on the population of the county or district with a minimum of 50 for Republican and Democrats. Lawrence County and District 31 are below the population threshold and require 50. Petitions for Republican and Democrat candidates need to be turned in by March 31^st. Independents are, well independent, and have their own requirements. Their petitions must be turned in by April 28^th and include as many signatures as at least one percent of the total combined vote for Governor at the last certified election within the county electing a candidate to fill the office, so in Lawrence County, 122 signatures would be needed this year. 

Petition signatures are audited by the auditor or SOS office to make sure the signers are of the party listed on the petition and have listed their proper address. Occasionally, people will change physical addresses without changing their voting registration. If they sign a petition with their current address, their signature is disqualified.  As a candidate it is a good idea to get a few extra signatures to make sure the minimum requirements are met if some are disqualified.   

After turning in the petitions, a candidate has 15 days to file a Statement of Organization and a Financial Interest Statement. The Statement of Organization designates the candidates’ committee who will accept donations and lists the officers of the committee. The Financial Interest Statement discloses how the candidate makes his/her living, this helps identify potential financial conflicts of interest if elected.  

There are also several financial and donation disclosures that are made throughout campaign season. The Pre-Primary Campaign Finance form, due May 18^th, discloses any donations or loans given to candidates and campaign expenses incurred.  Individual donors need to be identified for donations greater than $100. There are also Pre-General Election Finance forms and Year-End, or Campaign End forms. All have the same requirements and are available on the SOS website.

There are also laws and ordinances regarding campaign signs. Lawrence County’s campaign sign ordinance follows the state law very closely. Signs can be put up no more than 10 days prior to the beginning of absentee voting and must be taken down within 5 days after the election. They cannot be placed in public rights-of-way, public areas such as parks, have any moving parts or flashing lights, be mounted on trailers, or be greater than 32 square feet in size.  

Becoming a candidate and conducting a campaign is a very public and transparent process.  Anyone who wants to learn more about the candidates can find all documents filed by the candidates on the SOS website. I encourage all of you to take the time to learn about the candidates, make an informed decision, and show up to vote.