PIERRE, SD (KELO-AM) A new campaign has been launched against removing political party labels from elections in South Dakota.
The 'Vote No on V' campaign wants you to vote no on Amendment V on the ballot this November.
"It's, in fact, an anti-transparency measure that closes it off and hides information from voters," says Campaign Chairman Will Mortenson.
Supporters, including former Democratic Senate Candidate, Rick Weiland claim removing party labels will give voters more choice and non-partisan candidates will wind up getting more things done than the current highly partisan system. They point to Nebraska's officially non-partisan state legislature.
But Mortenson says Amendment V is basically a back door attempt by Democrats to get more power in very Republican South Dakota.
"Change the rules so Democrats can hide their party afflilation from voters in the voting booth," argues Mortenson.
Many top South Dakota Republicans, including Governor Dennis Daugaard and U.S. Senator John Thune have spoken out against Amendment V.
The campaign has a website: www.VoteNoOnV.com
In part, Amendment V would amend South Dakota's constitution to merge Republican and Democratic primaries into one primary in which all candidates compete. The two two finishers would face-off in the November election.