Protecting the Integrity of our Elections

This past week, we saw our very own State Senator, Red Dawn Foster, cast a vote in opposition to her constituents, voting "Nay" on protecting the integrity of our elections, specifically the voter rolls here in South Dakota. On Thursday, January 29, 2026, the South Dakota State Senate took up Senate Bill 30 for a Do Pass recommendation from the Senate Affairs Committee. This bill was introduced by the Chair of the Committee on State Affairs at the request of the Secretary of State. The language in SB 30 is as follows:

An Act to amend the reasons for challenging an individual's eligibility to vote.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. That § 12-4-59 be AMENDED:

12-4-59. An application for the correction of any precinct registration list or to challenge the right to vote of any registered voter may be filed by the secretary of state, the auditor of the county where the challenged voter is registered, or any other individual who is registered as a voter in the same county where the challenged voter is registered, not later than the ninetieth day before the day of a primary, runoff, special, or general election. The application for correction filed pursuant to this section may only challenge only whether a voter:

(1) Has voted or has registered to vote in another state; or

(2) Is a resident of this state, pursuant to § 12-1-4 as defined in § 12-1-4; or

(3) Is a United States citizen.

This is common sense to the average citizen, that of course, we want only legal residents of South Dakota, who are citizens of the United States, to vote in our federal, state, and local elections; however, Senator Red Dawn Foster thinks differently along with the other two State Senate Democrats who chose to vote "Nay" on a Do Pass recommendation. Here is the recorded vote tally for SB 30:

Source: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Vote/83090

Why would State Senator Foster align with her Democrat colleagues and vote no? One only has to look back two years to remember that Foster herself violated state residency requirements and maintained active dual voter registrations in two states. Below is a video I shared with voters in District 27 on the evening before the November 5, 2024, General Election, and a copy of the sample ballot for her to review before voting in Colorado.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/e009f8_74a774624f0d4d2a8c8bf810684f1f38/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Senator Foster knew she had been exposed by a growing body of evidence demonstrating a pattern of deception. A sworn affidavit with supporting documentation was formally submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Fall River State’s Attorney, the South Dakota Office of the Attorney General, and the Office of the Secretary of State. Yet, despite overwhelming evidence that Foster maintained active voter registration in the States of Colorado and South Dakota, every one of these government authorities chose inaction. As a result, Foster was permitted to run in both the 2024 Primary and General Elections, undermining the integrity of South Dakota’s election laws.

This failure of enforcement is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader breakdown in election oversight, including documented cases in which illegal foreign nationals were allowed to register to vote while obtaining driver’s licenses with photo identification at local DMV offices across the state. Faced with mounting public concern and clear evidence of abuse, the Secretary of State was compelled to ask the South Dakota Legislature to act. The resulting measure empowers South Dakota residents to hold the system accountable by allowing them to challenge falsified voter registrations through a sworn affidavit, supported by evidence, and submitted directly to the county auditor. This bill will now go on to the House floor for a vote, and I am certain it will pass and be signed into law by our governor.

If elected to the South Dakota State Senate, I will fight relentlessly to protect the integrity of our elections. I will oppose any legislation that weakens election security or erodes public confidence in the voting process. Our Constitutional Republic depends on elections that are safe, fair, and conducted in accordance with the law. Preserving the integrity of our voting system is essential to maintaining the public's faith and trust in their government. God bless.