Tight races draw voters

By Carson Walker, Associated Press Writer | Saturday, October 09, 2004

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SIOUX FALLS - Voter interest in the Nov. 2 election rivals 1980, when South Dakotans cast votes in heated contests for U.S. Senate and president, state Secretary of State Chris Nelson said Friday.

"Turnout is driven by interest in the races," he said at a news conference Friday called to remind people to register to vote by the deadline of 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 18.

"Every vote is going to count" and "folks can't just show up to vote," Nelson said.

Already 486,231 people, or 85.5 percent of eligible voters in the state, are registered, he said. In 1980, registration topped out at a record 92.3 percent.

That year, Republican Jim Abdnor unseated incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. George McGovern and Republican Ronald Reagan ousted incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter.

This year, the race between U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle and Republican challenger and former U.S. Rep. John Thune - as well as other contests - are likely driving people to be part of the process, Nelson said.

"We're at record levels and they're increasing every day," he said.

The highest gains in voter registration have been in Lincoln County, which includes southern Sioux Falls, with a 17.8 percent increase over 2002. Hanson County, home to a business that caters to people who become citizens of the state so they can register their recreational vehicles, has 14.1 percent more voters. And Todd County, home to the Rosebud Indian Reservation, has 11.5 percent more people registered to cast ballots than in 2002.

Some rural counties have lost registered voters, a trend consistent with population losses.

Campbell County is down 10.6 percent from 2002, Hutchinson County is off 9.4 percent and Kingsbury County voter numbers have dropped by 8.2 percent.

Minnehaha County Auditor Sue Roust, who also met with reporters, emphasized that new federal laws require people to provide some added information on the registration form or it won't be accepted.

They must attest that they're 18 years old on Election Day and are a U.S. citizen, and provide their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number, she said.

If that information isn't included on the voter registration form, it will be returned, Roust said.

The requirements add even more responsibilities for election workers, Nelson said.

"The auditors are spending more time tracking down bad information provided by voters," he said.

Roust and Nelson said the added information on voter registration forms and requirements that people provide a notarized signature or photo ID to vote absentee help ensure their integrity.

"Because of the requirements, there will be very little question about the validity of the absentee ballots," Roust said.

She said another change will make it clear to voters that they can either provide a photo ID to vote at their polling place, or fill out an affidavit if they don't have identification.

After the June 1 special election, there were charges that some American Indian voters were turned away because they didn't have an ID.

On Nov. 2, signs at the precincts will let people know they can still sign a form verifying their name if they don't have a picture, Roust said.

Nelson said better training for election workers and the new safeguards will make for credible election results.

"My confidence in that is high," he said.

The breakdown

A breakdown of the 486,231 South Dakotans, or 85.5 percent of the eligible population, already registered to vote in the Nov. 2 election:

* Republican: 232,235.

* Democrat: 186,207.

* Independent: 63,972.

* Libertarian: 1,060.

* Constitution: 84.

* Other: 2,673

Source: Secretary of State