Absentee Voting A Popular Choice For Upcoming Election

[Freddie Stubbs]

BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
[e-mail]

The polls won't open until Tuesday, but a change in state law has seen a large number of votes already cast in South Dakota's primary election and U.S. House special election.

South Dakotans are no longer required to state a reason for voting absentee. A check of the area's county auditors has shown voters are taking advantage of the change, if for no other reason than convenience.

And voters are showing strong interest in the special election for the state's lone U.S. House seat. The seat has remained vacant since the resignation of former Rep. Bill Janklow, a Republican.

The winner of Tuesday's special election between Democrat Stephanie Herseth and Republican Larry Diedrich will serve the remaining seven months of Janklow's term. All registered voters -- including independents and members of other parties -- can vote in the special U.S. House election.

more: http://www.yankton.net/stories/052704/com_20040527019.shtml