Senate Bill 105 would amend South Dakota’s legal holidays statute to add Election Day—defined as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year—as a state legal holiday. The bill’s stated purpose is to formally recognize election day in the same way the state recognizes other holidays such as New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Veterans’ Day, and Christmas Day.
By placing Election Day into the list of legal holidays, the bill would change state law governing official holidays for state purposes. The text does not create a separate voting-rights program, polling-place rule, or employer mandate beyond the holiday designation itself, but it would likely affect how state offices, schools, and other public institutions treat that day if the holiday status were implemented in practice.
Impact
The bill would amend § 1-5-1 of the South Dakota Codified Laws, which lists the state’s legal holidays, by inserting Election Day as a recognized holiday. This would expand the statutory holiday calendar and could influence government office closures, administrative scheduling, and public-sector operations on even-year November election days. The bill does not expressly alter election procedures, absentee voting rules, or private employer obligations, but it would create a new legal classification that could have downstream effects in those areas.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill did not advance, as it was tabled on a 8-0 vote. With no committee transcript provided, there is no recorded floor or committee debate to show support or opposition in detail. The unanimous tabling vote indicates the committee was not ready to move the proposal forward, even though the vote itself does not reveal whether members opposed the concept or simply deferred action.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the policy choice of whether Election Day should be treated as a state holiday at all, since that can affect government operations, school schedules, and potentially workplace expectations. Supporters would generally view the measure as promoting civic participation and emphasizing the importance of voting, while opponents may be concerned about the operational costs or practical consequences of adding another legal holiday. Because there are no transcripts, the specific arguments and the identities of proponents or critics are not documented in the provided materials.