The Dakota Scout: Our complete Election 2022 coverage
From Sturgis to Yankton and points in between, The Dakota Scout traveled the state to ensure its readers had election coverage up and down the ballot. With Election Day less than 24 hours away, we present a compendium of that coverage.
Over the last two months, we profiled candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and dozens of other candidates running for state and local offices.
We solicited various points of view on ballot measures: Voters will be asked to expand Medicaid and legalize cannabis, and Sioux Falls voters could decide the fate of future meat packing plants.
We hope that this coverage has been helpful to you in deciding how you intend to vote.
GOVERNOR’S RACE
South Dakota’s 33rd governor, Republican Kristi Noem, hopes to keep Democrat Jamie Smith from becoming the 34th to take the reins of state government.
Election Day marks the culmination of what’s been a bitter campaign between the incumbent and the gubernatorial hopefuls, which includes Libertarian candidate Tracey Quint.
The trio rarely engaged face to face, as there was just one debate in which all three candidates participated. But the election cycle was anything short of fireworks and void of back biting. Noem’s campaign repeatedly attacked Smith as an out-of-touch liberal while the Democrat used political missteps and the Republican’s focus on national politics to make hay with voters.
Kristi Noem makes $700K ad buy ahead of Election day as Smith launches statewide tour
Podcast: Did Noem exchange meals for votes?
Noem won’t face criminal investigation into state airplane
Noem opts for veterans benefit while Smith, Libertarian debate
VIEWPOINT: Jamie Smith is too extreme for common sense South Dakota
VIEWPOINT: Vote out South Dakota Governor Noem’s ‘Kristi Tax’ to restore South Dakota values
PODCAST: Is conservative criticism about Noem’s COVID response fair?
Speaker says Noem pivoted on food tax cuts
PODCAST: Fighting over the food tax proposals
Noem’s call to end food tax latest wrinkle in balancing revenue, fairness
Gov. Noem won’t call special session to end food tax
Analysis: Noem has spent debating career going for the jugular, Friday’s debate was no different
Noem, Smith trade blows in lone gubernatorial debate
Outspoken swimmer helps Gov. Noem attack Jamie Smith
PODCAST: Noem feels blowback from food tax cut proposal
Gov. Noem accused of shifting on food tax cuts after call for grocery exemption
Democrat Jamie Smith looks to make South Dakota political history
Gov. Noem riding COVID-19 response, Biden unfavorability toward second term
On abortion, South Dakota Democrats following national strategy
Weekly cartoon: David v. Goliath 2022
PODCAST: Noem’s bad back
Scouting report: Noem injury pulls her from campaign trail – temporarily
Federal races
Neither of South Dakota’s congressional delegates facing re-election - Sen. John Thune and Rep. Dusty Johnson - were seen as vulnerable entering the 2022 election. But that didn’t spare them from challengers hoping to upset them from earning more terms in Washington D.C.
Democrat Brian Bengs waged a formidable campaign against Thune, while Johnson faces Libertarian Collin Duprel.
Long-shot Libertarian, Dusty Johnson square off ahead of U.S. House election
PODCAST: Libertarian holds own in debate with Johnson
Democrat Brian Bengs stands between John Thune and historic fourth U.S. Senate term
Thune campaign tops $17 million ahead of November election
Bengs takes his shot in his one Senate debate with Thune
Dusty Johnson tells Chamber group that many U.S. House members suffer from cognitive decline
LEGISLATIVE RACES
With voter registration closed, early voting underway and Election Day two weeks away, The Dakota Scout wants to help South Dakota voters and its subscribers differentiate between the candidates seeking their vote.
Reporter Joe Sneve asked Sioux Falls and surrounding area candidates running in contested races for the South Dakota Legislature two questions: Which law on the books right now they’d like to see go away?; and Who their favorite elected official currently serving anywhere in the country is?
MEET THE CANDIDATES: A round up of Sioux Falls-area legislative races
South Dakota senate candidate faces sexual grooming child abuse charge
Senate candidate under investigation in child abuse probe
AMENDMENT D
South Dakota voters will decide whether their state should join the ranks of the more than 35 others who offer Medicaid to any person over 18 and under 65 whose income is at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level.
Viewpoint: Will Medicaid expansion help or hurt South Dakotans?
Viewpoint: Amendment D good for South Dakota’s health, economy
Weekly cartoon: Welcome to the neighborhood
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES
Jeff Barth strikes again with another quirky campaign ad
Carbon pipeline, eminent domain powers roil Public Utilities Commission race
2020 election lingers over secretary of state contest
INITIATED MEASURE 27
South Dakotans for the second time in as many election cycles will have a chance to weigh in on whether the state’s long-held prohibition on cannabis should come to and end.
Unlike 2020, the ballot measure this time around is not a constitutional amendment and isn’t suspected to be challenged in court should it pass. Initiated Measure 27, sponsored by South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws, proposes to legalize the possession, cultivation and use of cannabis for adults who are at least 21 years old.
If adopted, the Legislature would be responsible for establishing commercial regulations for the drug.
Anti-pot campaign launches ahead of November vote to legalize cannabis
Anti-pot coalition waging heavier campaign against recreational marijuana in S.D. this time around
Weekly cartoon: Stuff’s dangerous
Out-of-state cash dries up for pro-pot group ahead of recreational marijuana vote
PODCAST: Rick Steves makes the case for legalizing marijuana
PODCAST: Mayor TenHaken talks opposition to IM-27
Republican lawmakers says the time is now to legalize cannabis
VIEWPOINT: Research shows why IM-27 should be resoundingly defeated
VIEWPOINT: Give South Dakotans the freedom to use pot responsibly
SIOUS FALLS SLAUGHTERHOUSE VOTE
Sioux Falls voters will decide a municipal ballot measure that seeks to prohibit any new slaughterhouses and meat-packing operations from opening inside of city limits.
A yes vote would affirm the proposed ban, while a no vote keeps the status quo, allowing the facilities to open in portions of the city that are zoned heavy industrial.
The pending vote stems from plans of Wholestone Farms LLC to construct a $500-million in northeast Sioux Falls. However, since a boutique butcher shop is already harvesting hogs on the site where the larger facility is planned, it’s unclear that even if the slaughterhouse vote passes the project would be halted.
Pork processing advocates issue cease-and-desist notice, aerial footage of gated compound
Group behind Sioux Falls’ newest butcher shop operates worldwide, including China
VIEWPOINT: Vote ‘yes’ for less slaughterhouses in Sioux Falls
VIEWPOINT: Vote ‘no’ – Proposed Sioux Falls slaughterhouse won’t stink, will boost jobs and family farms
Judge won’t revoke Wholestone butcher shop permits despite questions of legality
Judge says city shouldn’t have issued permits to Wholestone slaughterhouse
Sioux Falls Open for Business organizes to block November slaughterhouse vote
Opponents of new S.F. slaughterhouse want Gov. Noem’s records: Here’s why they won’t get them
Weekly cartoon: Tug of war
Business and ag groups announce opposition to slaughterhouse measure
Pork plant vote not Broin’s first foray into ballot process
PODCAST: Pool, pork and latrine flies swarm
Associates of Wholestone Farms project call bribery scandal ‘ancient history’
Report: POET, Broins not only backers of pork plant opposition
Pro-pork plant group doubles up on opposition in latest campaign finance reports
Jeff Broin’s POET gives $1M to anti-slaughterhouse campaign
Anti-slaughterhouse group asks judge to block Wholestone Farms construction until after vote
MINNEHAHA COUNTY RACES
Three spots up for grabs in Minnehaha County Commission race
Newcomers vie to become Minnehaha County auditor
MISCELLANEOUS
Voter registrations reach historic divide
Judicial candidate admonished for Code of Conduct violations
Appeals court deals Noem, Legislature, defeat on petition case
Two competing to fill open Circuit Court judgeship