After legal loss, Minnehaha County revising petition gathering restrictions

County was challenged by Dakotans for Health over Administration Building policy

The fight between Minnehaha County and an abortion rights group is coming to an end.

Minnehaha County is set to revise the area outside the Administration Building where petition gatherers cannot approach people for their signatures. The new zone outside the west entrance of the Administration Building scales back a previous buffer zone that the County Commission adopted earlier this year.

The commission, at the urging of County Auditor Leah Anderson, adopted a designated area for petition gathering that was well clear of the west entrance. That hindered the ability of petition gatherers in what is one of the best spots in the state to get signatures. The Administration Building in the state’s most populous county houses basic government services that touch just about every corner of life, whether it’s vehicle licensing, property taxes, or registering to vote.

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