Penna Dexter
South Dakota is one of the most pro-life states in America. Before Roe v. Wade was overturned, South Dakota had enacted 111 statutes restricting abortion, the most of any state. Under a trigger law that took effect after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022, abortion is illegal in South Dakota, except to save the life of the mother.
The state’s pro-lifers work hard to elect legislators who will protect the sanctity of human life. Now they are battling a proposed constitutional amendment that could reverse much of the pro-life legislation on the books in South Dakota.
In states that allow Initiative and Referendum, activists can go directly to voters and sometimes use deceptive language and tactics to win the PR battle and undo the work of legislators.
Post-Dobbs, six states, including purple Kansas, have enshrined abortion rights into their constitutions via ballot measure. This November, voters in nine states will consider similar pro-abortion initiatives. Make that ten states, if an extreme pro-abortion amendment ends up on the ballot in South Dakota
The passage of Amendment G could legalize most late-term abortions and reverse protections and restrictions on abortion enacted over the past 20 years.
Life Defense Fund has filed a lawsuit alleging various instances of wrongdoing during the process of gathering signatures to place Amendment G on the ballot.
An army of pro-lifers blanketed the state, hitting farmers markets and other outdoor events where paid signature-gatherers were at work. Folks even wore body cameras to record arguments being used to get people to sign. Evidence showing that Amendment G operatives were breaking laws or lying to get signatures could augment efforts to invalidate the ballot measure.
There’s also a well-organized education campaign to inform people in every South Dakota county of the extreme nature of Amendment G.
South Dakota could be a test case for defeating these pro-abortion initiatives.
To help, go to lifedefensefund.com.
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Kerby Anderson