SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — As South Dakota gets ready for the 2024 election, a group of “Change Agents” are looking into the items on the ballot for this year.
Rick Knobe, former Sioux Falls Mayor and Co-Founder of Change Agents of South Dakota, said the group is made up of individuals from all different backgrounds who have been studying the issues on the ballot in South Dakota this year.
“Our primary function is we support transparency, and fact based decision making,” Knobe told KELOLAND News. “We are primarily, right now, Minnehaha County and Lincoln County centric, but we have plans to expand it beyond that.”
According to their website, they are a group that they wish: “To elect reasonable people who want to serve us all and hold elected officials accountable for their extremist language and actions.” Stating that their goal is: “To keep the extremists out and help elect moderate, thoughtful, responsible candidates into office.”
“The people that are showing up to our meetings are a good mix of Democrat, Republican and Independent,” said Knobe. “We have former elected officials, government employees and just regular citizens that care, that are part of our group.”
Knobe said South Dakota voters have a history making decent decisions when they are well informed.
“The goal is we need thinking people that make decisions based on facts not on rumors, not on innuendo, not on conspiracy theories,” said Knobe.
There are seven items on the ballot for South Dakota during this years election . A full list of all ballot measures can be found here.
Knobe said they have concerns which is why they are taking a close look at all the candidates and ballot measures.
“These ballot issues will either solve some problems, or if they go the wrong way could end up creating more,” said Knobe. “We are really focused on making sure we understand what the issues are and have an intelligent discussion and take a vote on what we will be recommending.
Knobe said they will be making endorsements soon.
“We spent some time studying the various ballot issues, both the pros and the cons and we will be making some decisions probably the first or second week in September on what we think is the right path for South Dakota to take,” said Knobe.
The last day to register to vote in South Dakota is October 21. Absentee voting begins on September 20.
