Government/Politics
Total 263 Posts
South Dakota News Watch is one of the few news organizations in the state with a full-time reporter who lives in Pierre. These stories explain how what happens in the Capitol impacts all residents, hold publicly elected leaders accountable, investigate complex issues and help voters make informed choices when they go to the polls through accurate, balanced reporting.
Budget reckoning looms as Gov. Kristi Noem talks tax cuts and discipline
FY 2025 budget of $7.38 billion is 57% higher than FY 2020 thanks to COVID cash: 'Pull that out of our budget and see what happens.'
School voucher program backed by many voters: Poll
But opposition remains strong: "There is no impoverishment of South Dakota public education that is not eventually an impoverishment of South Dakota, and that’s why we're against vouchers."
Open primaries in South Dakota has early support: Poll
Nearly half of South Dakota voters support a proposed constitutional amendment to establish “top-two” open primaries for most political races, a News Watch poll shows
Democracy and elections in doubt: South Dakota poll
A South Dakota News Watch poll shows voters have deep concerns about the U.S. democratic system of government and elections.
Sioux Falls lawyer favored as federal judge nominee
The long process of filling 2 seats has been complicated by the lack of a Democratic Party standard-bearer in South Dakota
Brain development science bolsters calls for quality preschool in South Dakota
New technologies give researchers detail on when parts of the brain develop: "The first year of life and then the first five years are really what we would refer to as very critical time periods for brain development."
Abortion amendment draws mixed support: SD poll
Survey conducted by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy shows that neither side of the constitutional amendment abortion debate has the majority.