Call to Action TODAY - Smoke out SB175
DOCUMENTARY PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP TO REGISTER TO VOTE
SB175 was killed in Senate State Affairs by Senators Liz Larson, Steve Kolbeck, Randy Deibert, Jim Mehlhaff and Carl Perry.
SB175 requires documentary proof of citizenship to REGISTER to vote. It is a necessary follow up bill to 2025’s SB68, which passed almost unanimously. SB68 says only citizens can vote in our elections. However, Deputy SOS Tom Deadrick told the Joint Appropriations Committee that the state is still running on the HONOR SYSTEM. Which means they are not enforcing proof of citizenship it all.
SB175 will be smoked out today on the Senate Floor. Please contact your Senator and ask them to stand in support of SB175 and to protect South Dakota elections!
What is wrong with our South Dakota Republicans that KILLED SB175 and LOVE their 45 no excuse absentee mail in ballot madness?
Please email the Senate NOW:
Arch.Beal@sdlegislature.gov Greg.Blanc@sdlegislature.gov John.Carley@sdlegislature.gov casey.crabtree@sdlegislature.gov Sydney.Davis@sdlegislature.gov Randy.Deibert@sdlegislature.gov Helene.Duhamel@sdlegislature.gov RedDawn.Foster@sdlegislature.gov Tamara.Grove@sdlegislature.gov Joy.Hohn@sdlegislature.gov Taffy.Howard@sdlegislature.gov Amber.Hulse@sdlegislature.gov Kevin.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov Chris.Karr@sdlegislature.gov Steve.Kolbeck@sdlegislature.gov Mark.Lapka@sdlegislature.gov Liz.Larson@sdlegislature.gov Sam.Marty@sdlegislature.gov Jim.Mehlhaff@sdlegislature.gov Paul.Miskimins@sdlegislature.gov Lauren.Nelson@sdlegislature.gov Ernie.Otten@sdlegislature.gov Carl.Perry@sdlegislature.gov Sue.Peterson@sdlegislature.gov Tom.Pischke@sdlegislature.gov Tim.Reed@sdlegislature.gov Michael.Rohl@sdlegislature.gov Stephanie.Sauder@sdlegislature.gov Kyle.Schoenfish@sdlegislature.gov Jamie.Smith@sdlegislature.gov Glen.Vilhauer@sdlegislature.gov Curt.Voight@sdlegislature.gov Mykala.Voita@sdlegislature.gov Brandon.Wipf@sdlegislature.gov Larry.Zikmund@sdlegislature.gov
Senators -
It appears that it is unclear to most as to what documents actually prove citizenship. Senator Carley was the prime sponsor of SB68 which passed almost unanimously in 2025. However, Deputy SOS Tom Deadrick admitted in Joint Approps that they are still using the “honor system” and that the law is not being enforced or even implemented in most cases.
A drivers license does NOT prove citizenship. Only South Dakota drivers licenses issued after July 1, 2025 indicate citizenship after the passage of SB75 2025. Voters with drivers licenses issued prior to July 1, 2025 do not indicate citizenship.
Driver’s licenses issued by other states may not indicate citizenship, and most likely DO NOT.
REAL ID is NOT an indication of citizenship.
From the Department of Homeland Security :
The REAL ID Act (passed in 2005) sets minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards to be accepted for certain federal purposes, like boarding domestic flights or entering some federal facilities (enforced since May 2025). To get a REAL ID, applicants must provide proof of lawful status in the United States—not necessarily citizenship.
Lawful status includes U.S. citizens and non-citizens who are legally present, such as permanent residents (Green Card holders), refugees, asylees, or those with valid visas/nonimmigrant status.
A REAL ID can therefore be issued to non-citizens who meet these requirements, so the card itself only confirms that lawful status was verified at issuance—it does not indicate or serve as proof of citizenship.
Official sources from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) emphasize that REAL ID proves identity and lawful presence, not citizenship.Even federal officials (including DHS agents) have stated in contexts like court declarations that REAL ID is unreliable for confirming citizenship, as it can be issued to non-citizens.
In South Dakota specifically the Department of Public Safety requires proof of lawful status for a REAL ID, accepting documents for both citizens (e.g., certified birth certificate, U.S. passport) and non-citizens (e.g., Permanent Resident Card, visa/I-94). So a South Dakota REAL ID follows the same national rule—it verifies lawful presence, not citizenship.
SB175 addresses NEW voter registrations processed by the county auditor - not presenting an ID at the polls.
All documentation presented at time of registration is securely stored in the voters record in Total Vote for the required time period.
Rasmussen Polls indicate 68% of all voters support proof of citizenship to vote. 89% of Republicans support proof of citizenship to vote. However, it is currently being reported that 90% of ALL voters support Proof of Citizenship.
The SAVE Act passed the U.S. House, and is headed to the Senate. President Trump has indicated there will be Voter ID and Proof of Citizenship required to vote in the 2026 elections.
The honor system is no protection from fraud. Yes, voters sign under threat of perjury, however our group has already found thousands of cases of perjury and there is no interest in SD to prosecute perjury.
The legislature overwhelmingly supported only Citizens voting in SD elections with the passage of SB68 in 2025. You must give election officials an avenue to enforce proof of citizenship or SB68 was yet another law that has zero effect.
South Dakota Constitution : ARTICLE VII § 2. Voter qualification. Every United States citizen eighteen years of age or older who has met all residency and registration requirements shall be entitled to vote in all elections and upon all questions submitted to the voters of the state unless disqualified by law for mental incompetence or the conviction of a felony. The Legislature may by law establish reasonable requirements to insure the integrity of the vote.
Programs that require proof of citizenship:
Federal Student Aid
Medicare
Federal public housing assistance
Supplemental Security Income
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Childcare Assistance
ELECTION SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY.
Please do something about it.
Just an fyi, childcare assistance and social security income, federal student aid, and federal public housing assistance do NOT require citizenship. The rampant fraud exposed in MN, CA, ME, OH, and other states have exposed rampant fraud in these programs with legal immigration status being all that is required to take advantage of our welfare systems. Even the legal immigration system is riddled with fraud.
When I renewed my driver’s license last year in the Sioux Falls DMV the entire waiting room was full of people who couldn’t speak English and I know for a fact they were getting real IDs. I was irate and said something about it while at the counter because I had to drive home and get my marriage certificate simply because my passport had expired by a week so they wouldn’t accept it as one of the forms of ID for real ID. I told them I thought it was absurd considering the women at the counter next to me is clearly an illegal or temporary immigrant because she doesn’t speak a word of English yet you’re accepting whatever BS paperwork she’s giving you for a real ID.
Every senator who voted against mandating proof of citizenship to register to vote in SD should have protestors standing outside their home demanding they pass such requirements. I can’t even fathom being such a worthless human being as these politicians who vote against something so basic. These parasites have literally sold out our country!