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South Dakota Voting Issues


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There was an effort in the SD legislature a couple of years ago to prevent voting by full-time RVers.  It didn't pass. IMHO  the State likes the license and registration money that comes in from people who don't drive on the roads or use any other State services.  I'm not going to worry about it until it becomes a lot more of a threat.

FWIW the Minnehaha County (Sioux Falls) registrar used to required a night's stay in the county (not just the state) in order to permit a person to register to vote, but this requirement "magically" got eliminated when there was a large influx of new residents to the county after MyDakotaAddress went out of business.  No sense putting MyBestAddress (and any other Minnehaha County mail services) at a disadvantage relative to mail forwarders located in other SD counties.

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
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Another way to look at this; I spent 30 years on active duty, living in 14 different states and three countries.  I never lived in my home of record where I was registered to vote, so should I have been denied the right?  As a 14-year full timer, I've voted in SD since we started, but only in the general election.  I don't know anything about the local candidates and don't feel that reading their election brochure is a good way to make a determination.  I'd be fine with a requirement to deny my vote in local elections, but there's no reason I should be denied a general election vote.

Keith & Brenda

USAF CMSgt (Ret.)
Damn Near Perfect Couple
http://dnpc.blogspot.com

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47 minutes ago, MeanderMan said:

I've voted in SD since we started, but only in the general election.  I don't know anything about the local candidates...there's no reason I should be denied a general election vote.

We also voted only in the general election. We did not vote for any local candidates or issues. I suspect that's true for most full-timers domiciled in SD.

Linda

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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While I tend to side with the RV community on the issue of voting when fulltime, it really shouldn't be that difficult to understand the local residents' position on the issues. After all, even though most of us didn't participate in the election of local officials, there is no way that those people can be sure that we do not vote in them and in close elections the fulltimers can have a major influence on the results. In addition, if we vote for US candidates (senators and representatives) we could very well impact the result even though some of us have never actually lived in the state we vote and we may not intend to ever do so. It really isn't a simple question as I think that we should have the right to vote for congressmen but understand the objection of local voters. The same is true for state offices which I suspect at least some of us vote for. When we were on the road I never voted for any local official or school boards and such but I did vote for Congressmen and statewide officeholders. Yet even though I have been a TX resident for 11 years before fulltime and another 9 years after, never have I actually lived in Livingston even though I was a registered voter there for 12 years. There are no easy answers that resolve every issue.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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So far the SD ballots we've been presented with have contained little more than the Congressional and presidential choices, a judge or two, and some referendums.  In 2018 I spent the time to study the referendum issues and felt that my vote was just as well thought out as anyone else's.  

One nice thing about voting in SD is that there are only ~500k registered voters of whom between 300-400k typically vote in major elections.  As a result one's vote is much more "powerful" than it is, for example, in a huge state like TX.

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
WiFiRanger Ambassador
Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels

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The last time a politician in Rapid City wanted to not allow "virtual resident" to vote,  I pointed out that this country was started on taxation without representation.  We may be "virtual resident" but we pay real taxes in the form of license fees.

As for not voting on local issues, what if the local people decided that "virtual residents" should be taxed specially.  I used to be a boater and the highest property taxes are for holes in the water.  Local issues can affect you as a "virtual resident".

 

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Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
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11 hours ago, Kirk W said:

I think that we should have the right to vote for congressmen but understand the objection of local voters. The same is true for state offices which I suspect at least some of us vote for. 

I'm under the impression that the ones who vote for state offices are people who used to live in that state so have some familiarity with the issues there. Most of us don't care much what happens in a state we don't physically live in unless they are trying to pass a law that affects full timers.

Linda

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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18 hours ago, docj said:

So far the SD ballots we've been presented with have contained little more than the Congressional and presidential choices, a judge or two, and some referendums.  In 2018 I spent the time to study the referendum issues and felt that my vote was just as well thought out as anyone else's.  

As I said before, I support the RV traveler's right to vote but understand the reasoning of those who live in that location permanently. It may be true that most of us do not vote in the local elections, but at least in Texas RV travelers receive the exact same ballot as the local folks, and I suspect that to be true of every state. It might be good for all if there were some special provision for us, but I doubt that I'll live long enough to see that happen, even though I would support it. And the higher impact of the number of RV voters in SD could well be part of the reason that some of the life long residents are concerned. As an example, we might be the deciding votes to reject a much-needed school bond issue because none of us would have children affected by the poor schools since any fulltime children are homeschooled. I might also add that as one who was part of the Polk County TX RV voters, as a group we changed the major political party of the county over a period of years as the numbers grew. That change played a key part in the suit that was brought in an effort to stop us from voting. Part of the problem is the fact that you either are a valid voter in the location or you are not so we either lose our voting rights or the local permanent residents surrender some of their political clout to travelers, many of whom have never lived in that area and have no intention of doing so. The taking of an adversarial attitude does nothing to reduce the fears of those who are objecting. 

We absolutely do have a right to vote, but we should also show some respect for the rights and concerns of those who live their lives in the areas where we choose to domicile. I believe that we would be better served if we would take a more understanding approach and dialog with the local residents to find a satisfactory solution. Taking a fighting stance isn't always the best approach.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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Kirk, the fighting stance is almost never the best approach. I can well understand why people think that you should not be able to vote someplace where you are not of the community, have no stake in the community and don't even travel there. Example: Polk County, Texas was or may still be alcohol free, should someone who is not of the community have input on that issue?

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The only voting we did when Texas residents were in the national elections.  We would never feel comfortable voting in local and state when we weren't in Texas.  That's not knowledgeable voting.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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We're SD residents and we make an effort to find out what the statewide issues are, such as Constitutional Amendments or referendums. We look at the local issues on the ballot but frequently don't vote on those.

David Lininger, kb0zke
1993 Foretravel U300 40' (sold)
2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS

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Maybe the easiest solution would be just to make everyone who doesn't live in SD but uses it as their domicile to show up on election day and vote in person.  No more absentee ballots or mail in ballots.  Problem solved!

Joe & Cindy

Newmar 4369 Ventana

Pulling 24' enclosed (Mini Cooper, Harley, 2 Kayaks)

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2 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

Maybe the easiest solution would be just to make everyone who doesn't live in SD but uses it as their domicile to show up on election day and vote in person.  No more absentee ballots or mail in ballots.  Problem solved!

Or just make it law that a mailbox can't be used as a residence.

SKP #79313 / Full-Timing / 2001 National RV Sea View / 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
www.rvSeniorMoments.com
DISH TV for RVs

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3 hours ago, Zulu said:

Or just make it law that a mailbox can't be used as a residence.

How about that for everywhere, that would clear up a lot of bogus voting.

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

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7 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

Maybe the easiest solution would be just to make everyone who doesn't live in SD but uses it as their domicile to show up on election day and vote in person.  No more absentee ballots or mail in ballots.  Problem solved!

Yes, because November is such a good time for RVs to be in South Dakota. Plus, the elderly and handicapped love having to go out one specific day whatever the weather is doing. 🙄

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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13 hours ago, sandsys said:

Yes, because November is such a good time for RVs to be in South Dakota. Plus, the elderly and handicapped love having to go out one specific day whatever the weather is doing. 🙄

Okay then, elderly and handicapped "real" residents can still get to vote by mail but full time RVers who have never been an actual resident of SD have to show up and stand in line to vote.

Joe & Cindy

Newmar 4369 Ventana

Pulling 24' enclosed (Mini Cooper, Harley, 2 Kayaks)

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4 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

Okay then, elderly and handicapped "real" residents can still get to vote by mail but full time RVers who have never been an actual resident of SD have to show up and stand in line to vote.

I dare say that the devil's in the detail (as usual).  Is someone living "long term" in a trailer park or RV park a "real resident"?  How many days must they have been there before they would be considered "real"?  

I honestly don't see much of a difference in this issue between full-timers and a rich person who might have multiple homes, only one of which can be his legal domicile.  He can vote at his domicile address regardless of how much time he spends there.  What makes his understanding of local issues any better than a full-timer's?  In the Corpus Christi area, where we hang out, there are quite a few waterfront "mansions" which stand vacant most of the year.  No doubt some are legal domiciles for their owners.  Should the owners of these properties vote if they aren't around and don't know the issues?

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
WiFiRanger Ambassador
Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels

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2 hours ago, docj said:

I dare say that the devil's in the detail (as usual).  Is someone living "long term" in a trailer park or RV park a "real resident"?  How many days must they have been there before they would be considered "real"?  

I honestly don't see much of a difference in this issue between full-timers and a rich person who might have multiple homes, only one of which can be his legal domicile.  He can vote at his domicile address regardless of how much time he spends there.  What makes his understanding of local issues any better than a full-timer's?  In the Corpus Christi area, where we hang out, there are quite a few waterfront "mansions" which stand vacant most of the year.  No doubt some are legal domiciles for their owners.

This is a whataboutism argument. It diverts attention from addressing the issue.

 

2 hours ago, docj said:

Should the owners of these properties vote if they aren't around and don't know the issues?

This is a red herring. Besides voting "tests" (aka literacy tests) have been outlawed for some time.

 

22 hours ago, pjstough said:

I believe it is the street address of the mail forwarding service that is used as a residence, not just a mail box.

Making mail forwarding addresses illegal for voter registration purposes solves the problem. Since it is physically impossible to live in a mailbox (or the building for that matter), then it cannot be a residence.

SKP #79313 / Full-Timing / 2001 National RV Sea View / 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
www.rvSeniorMoments.com
DISH TV for RVs

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33 minutes ago, Zulu said:

This is a whataboutism argument. It diverts attention from addressing the issue.

 

This is a red herring. Besides voting "tests" (aka literacy tests) have been outlawed for some time.

 

Making mail forwarding addresses illegal for voter registration purposes solves the problem. Since it is physically impossible to live in a mailbox (or the building for that matter), then it cannot be a residence.

 

My comment was not that I agree with mail forwarding addresses be allowed for establishing legal residency, but that is more than just a mailbox.

So what do you think should be the requirement for establishing a legal residence?

2005 Winnebago Voyage 38J

 

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I am a legal resident of the USA - just happen to have my domicile in SD.  Are you folks saying that I shouldn't be able to vote for President?  People who use the SD benefits for full time RVers are not criminals because of that.  I really doubt that all of us SD Fulltimers get together and try to 'swing' a local vote.

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, pjstough said:

So what do you think should be the requirement for establishing a legal residence?

That is the real issue since there is no national domicile and no special provision in voting laws in the states of preferred domicile. It would be nice if there were some provision for those who live fulltime in an RV, but there is not and I doubt any of us will live long enough to see it happen. If I had the power to change state voting laws for us, I would create a special registration for those who domicile by mail service to be able to vote only on statewide and federal issues and offices. I highly doubt that we will see that happen. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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