Anti-abortion group is behind ‘scam’ calls, South Dakota election official says

By Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight

Hundreds of phone calls this week that the South Dakota secretary of state has labeled a “scam” are originating from an anti-abortion group seeking to disqualify an abortion-rights ballot measure. 

A petition was submitted last week to the Secretary of State’s Office with enough signatures to place the measure on the Nov. 5 ballot, but the signatures must undergo a validation process. 

Earlier this year, the legislature and Gov. Kristi Noem passed legislation allowing people to withdraw their signatures from petitions. 

Rachel Soulek, elections director with the Secretary of State’s Office, said the callers are capitalizing on the new law.

“This is the first time we are seeing this and it’s a result of the law change to allow individuals to remove their name from a ballot measure up till the point it is validated in our office,” Soulek told South Dakota Searchlight through email.