South Dakota
A dated list of changes to how Americans vote: district maps, polling places and drop boxes, voting laws and rules, and courts and election officials. Each entry says who did what and when, shows what became of it, and links to the page it rests on. Attempts that failed are listed as failed. Entries that rest on a news report name the outlet.
This is the state view: events recorded for South Dakota, then national events that apply here. See the national timeline.
In South Dakota
2019
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Report counts 1 fewer polling place in Oglala Lakota County in 2018 than in 2012
The Leadership Conference Education Fund, a civil rights coalition, reported in September 2019 that Oglala Lakota County had 9 Election Day polling places in the 2012 general election and 8 in 2018, a change of -1 (-11%). The report lists the 2012 count as from the Election Assistance Commission's Election Administration and Voting Survey and the 2018 count as from a hand count of polling-place lists. The report covers counties once covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
- Democracy Diverted: Polling Place Closures and the Right to Vote (September 2019), Appendix, page 72 ↗ News report, The Leadership Conference Education Fund
Source last checked Oct 24, 2026
2018
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Voters reject Amendment X, which would have raised the vote needed to approve constitutional amendments
In 2018, South Dakota voters decided Constitutional Amendment X, an amendment increasing the number of votes needed to approve a constitutional amendment. The Secretary of State's record lists the result as failed, 140,730 to 163,362.
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
2016
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Voters reject Amendment T, which would have created a legislative redistricting commission
In 2016, South Dakota voters decided Constitutional Amendment T, an initiated amendment to provide for state legislative redistricting by a commission. The Secretary of State's record lists the result as failed, 149,942 to 198,982.
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
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Voters reject Amendment V, which would have established nonpartisan elections
In 2016, South Dakota voters decided Constitutional Amendment V, an initiated amendment establishing nonpartisan elections. The Secretary of State's record lists the result as failed, 157,870 to 196,781.
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
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Voters reject Referred Law 19, a state act revising election and election petition laws
In 2016, South Dakota voters decided Referred Law 19, described as an act to revise state laws regarding elections and election petitions. The Secretary of State's record lists the result as failed, 98,657 to 242,113.
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
2014
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Oglala Sioux members sue Jackson County over a satellite voting office at Wanblee
A complaint filed September 18, 2014 (Poor Bear v. County of Jackson, No. 5:14-cv-05059, D.S.D.) alleged that the county's refusal to establish a satellite office for voter registration and in-person absentee voting in Wanblee, on the Pine Ridge Reservation, violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Plaintiffs' counsel reports that the county opened a satellite office for the 2014 election and later agreed with the State to provide one through 2022, and that the court dismissed the case as unripe on June 17, 2016.
- Judgment of dismissal, Poor Bear v. County of Jackson, No. 5:14-cv-05059 (D.S.D. June 17, 2016), Doc. 93 (CourtListener docket entry) ↗
- Poor Bear v. County of Jackson, No. 5:14-cv-05059 (D.S.D.), complaint filed Sept. 18, 2014 ↗ News report, Turtle Talk
- Poor Bear v. Jackson County (case page) ↗ News report, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, plaintiffs' counsel
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
2013
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Court dismisses without prejudice the Shannon County early-voting suit as not ripe
In an order filed August 6, 2013, the court granted the defendants' motion to dismiss Brooks v. Gant without prejudice, writing that "plaintiffs' alleged injuries are too speculative for the court to make a judicial determination on the merits." The opinion notes that plans had been made to ensure early voting occurs in Shannon County through the 2018 election cycle.
Counties: Oglala Lakota County, Fall River County
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
2012
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Court denies as moot a request for early voting in Shannon County after the county provided it
Oglala Sioux Tribe members sued on January 13, 2012 over the number of days of in-person early voting available in Shannon County. In a written order of March 14, 2012, the court granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the preliminary-injunction request and denied the request as moot, noting that defendants said all requested preliminary relief had been voluntarily given. Shannon County is now Oglala Lakota County.
Counties: Oglala Lakota County, Fall River County
- Brooks v. Gant, No. 5:12-cv-05003 (D.S.D.), Doc. 66, order of March 14, 2012 ↗
- Brooks v. Gant, Doc. 159, memorandum opinion of August 6, 2013 ↗
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
2010
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Eighth Circuit, sitting en banc, orders dismissal of Section 2 suit over the City of Martin's council wards
In Cottier v. City of Martin, decided May 5, 2010, the en banc Eighth Circuit wrote that it concluded "the district court properly dismissed the action in its order of March 22, 2005, which was reversed by a panel of this court," vacated the later judgment of February 9, 2007, and remanded with directions to dismiss. The plaintiffs were members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and residents of Martin. The Census Bureau's place file lists Martin city in Bennett County.
- Cottier v. City of Martin (8th Cir. en banc May 5, 2010) ↗
- U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 place-by-county file, South Dakota ↗
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
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Voters approve Amendment K on the right to vote by secret ballot
In 2010, South Dakota voters considered Constitutional Amendment K (2010 Legislative Session SJR 3), an amendment relating to the right of individuals to vote by secret ballot. The Secretary of State's record lists the result as passed, 241,896 to 63,783.
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
Nationwide
2019
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House passes Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019; no Senate vote follows
On December 6, 2019, the House passed H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019, by 228 to 187 (Roll no. 654). It was received in the Senate on December 9, 2019 and referred to the Judiciary Committee; the bill record lists no Senate vote, and it did not become law.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Department of Commerce v. New York, on a census citizenship question
On June 27, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a challenge to the Commerce Secretary's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The syllabus says "The Enumeration Clause permits Congress, and by extension the Secretary, to inquire about citizenship on the census questionnaire," and the judgment was "affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Rucho v. Common Cause
On June 27, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court decided cases from North Carolina and Maryland in which voters challenged congressional maps as partisan. The Court held that such claims present "political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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House passes For the People Act of 2019; no Senate vote follows
On March 8, 2019, the House passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2019, by 234 to 193 (Roll no. 118). The bill was received in the Senate on March 12, 2019 and placed on the Senate calendar; the bill record lists no Senate vote on passage, and it did not become law.
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2018
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President signs Executive Order 13848 on foreign interference in U.S. elections
Executive Order 13848, dated September 12, 2018, imposes sanctions authority in the event of foreign interference in a U.S. election. The order says "there has been no evidence of a foreign power altering the outcome or vote tabulation in any United States election" and declares a national emergency over the threat of interference.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Gill v. Whitford
On June 18, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed a challenge to Wisconsin's state legislative map as a partisan one. The Court held that "The plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate Article III standing."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute
On June 11, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "The process that Ohio uses to remove voters on change-of-residence grounds does not violate the Failure-to-Vote Clause or any other part of the NVRA."
- Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, 584 U.S. 756 (2018), U.S. Reports, Volume 584 (Supreme Court) ↗
- Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, No. 16-980 (U.S. June 11, 2018), syllabus and opinions (Cornell Legal Information Institute copy) ↗
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
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President terminates the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Executive Order 13820, dated January 3, 2018 and published January 8, 2018, revoked Executive Order 13799 and states that "the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity is accordingly terminated."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2017
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Supreme Court decides Cooper v. Harris
On May 22, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed North Carolina's congressional Districts 1 and 12. The syllabus says the lower court "did not err in concluding that race furnished the predominant rationale for District 1's redesign and that the State's interest in complying with the VRA could not justify that consideration of race."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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President establishes the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Executive Order 13799, dated May 11, 2017 and published May 16, 2017, established the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, chaired by the Vice President, to "study the registration and voting processes used in Federal elections."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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Homeland Security designates election infrastructure as critical infrastructure
On January 6, 2017, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he had determined "that election infrastructure in this country should be designated as a subsector of the existing Government Facilities critical infrastructure sector." The statement defines election infrastructure as including "storage facilities, polling places, and centralized vote tabulations locations" and voter registration databases and voting machines.
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2016
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Supreme Court decides Evenwel v. Abbott
On April 4, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "a State or locality may draw its legislative districts based on total population," according to its syllabus.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
2013
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Supreme Court decides Shelby County v. Holder
On June 25, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional and that its formula can no longer be used as a basis for requiring places to get federal approval ("preclearance") before changing voting procedures.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
On June 17, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "Arizona's evidence-of-citizenship requirement, as applied to Federal Form applicants, is pre-empted by the NVRA's mandate that States 'accept and use' the Federal Form."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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President establishes the Presidential Commission on Election Administration
Executive Order 13639, dated March 28, 2013 and published April 3, 2013, established the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. The order says the commission "shall identify best practices and otherwise make recommendations to promote the efficient administration of elections."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
How this timeline is built
Every entry rests on at least one source that was opened and read, and that source states the date and the fact. Courts, legislatures, election offices, the Justice Department, the Census Bureau, the Federal Register and Congress.gov come first. A news report is used only when no official page states the fact, and it is labeled with the outlet's name. Encyclopedias are not used as sources. History starts in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act. County names come from the Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer. Congressional district numbers are those in use for the 2026 election; an event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district.
When a later event changes an earlier one, such as a law later struck down, both entries are listed and point to each other. This page does not predict outcomes or say which party a change helps. U.S. House maps for 2026 · Back to the 2026 voting center.