Absentee voting begins April 17 for the June 2 election, and Her Vote. Her Voice. is providing support and resources to encourage South Dakota citizens to exercise their hard-fought-for voting rights.
“Social distancing may be changing a lot of how we go about our day, but it doesn’t mean we don’t have a way to connect or have our voices heard, “ said Pat Miller, chair of Her Vote. Her Voice. “Election season is just around the corner, and it’s more important now than ever to get out and vote and have your voice heard. It’s critical that in the public health crisis we don’t settle into silence – but rather rally together to have our voices heard through voting.”
South Dakota’s leadership has underscored the importance of still voting and will be giving each registered voter direct access to cast their ballot.
Secretary of State Steve Barnett said, “Ensuring every South Dakota voter has access to exercise their right to vote is the goal of all election officials in our state. In response to the current pandemic, we are encouraging all South Dakotans to utilize our state’s absentee vote-by-mail option for our upcoming elections. Absentee ballot applications will be mailed to each registered voter at the mailing address listed on their voter registration form.”
Applications should arrive between April 17 – 24. Anyone not receiving an application due to an undeliverable address may request an application from their county auditor or download the form on the Secretary of State’s website at www.sdsos.gov.
Voting takes center stage in 2020 not just because of the national pandemic, but also with the 100th anniversary of women earning the right to vote in the United States. Governor Kristi Noem appointed a centennial delegation called Her Vote. Her Voice. to commemorate the anniversary. The organization is a women’s history initiative of the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising partner of the South Dakota State Historical Society, and is raising awareness about the story of women’s suffrage in South Dakota and giving residents resources to exercise their voices in today’s voting climate.
The delegation urges all South Dakotans of voting age to take advantage of this opportunity to vote by mail, so all voices can be heard. The delegates are organizing a communications center for the collection and dissemination of information about South Dakota events, plans, and resources for the centennial celebration of the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. This diverse group of nonpartisan professionals brings relevance to the historical topic while connecting people to the present issue: history is happening and still being made today.
For more information on elections and voting go to www.sdsos.gov. Her Vote. Her Voice. activities are found at www.hervotehervoice.org.
Her Vote. Her Voice. is a grassroots movement of the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation and the office of Governor Kristi Noem. Governor Noem appointed a group of 16 delegates to organize a communications center for the collection and dissemination of information about South Dakota events, plans, and resources for the centennial celebration of the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. This diverse group of nonpartisan professionals brings relevance to the historical topic while connecting people to the present issue: history is happening and still being made today. Funds raised by the Her Vote. Her Voice. campaign will support women’s history preservation through projects defined by the South Dakota State Historical Society and Historical Society Foundation. For more information on how you can help, go to https://www.hervotehervoice.org or call 605-773-6003.
About the South Dakota State Historical Society
The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing, and administrative/development offices. Call 605-773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.
The South Dakota Historical Society Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and serves as the fundraising partner of the South Dakota State Historical Society. The Foundation assists in securing funds to collect, preserve, research, exhibit, and interpret history for the lifelong education and enrichment of present and future generations. For more information go to www.sdhsf.org or call 605-773-6003.
