Once again, Rick Weible, an election denier/election integrity/ tax refugee who transplanted himself from Minnesota to South Dakota, shows up in the news.
Readers can red earlier appearances in my list of related posts at the end of this South Dakota Searchlight article.
Activists fail to convince Board of Elections to move toward hand-counting
By Joshua HaiarThe state Board of Elections did not approve petitions Wednesday from activists who want to move the state toward hand-counting ballots.
A Republican state Senate candidate, Rick Weible, of Elkton, petitioned the board for declaratory rulings. The petitions asked the board to take several actions, including deeming certain election tabulating software non-compliant with state law and de-certifying its use. The board did not grant the requests.
Board member Scott McGregor said afterward that Weible and his supporters routinely attend board meetings to pursue their agenda.
“It’s all about going back to hand-counting our elections,” McGregor said.
He added that Weible and others in attendance are misguided: The appointed board serves an administrative function and does not make law.
“They need to talk to the Legislature,” McGregor said.
During the meeting, Weible and his group lashed out at Republican Secretary of State Monae Johnson, the state’s top elections official. Weible helped Johnson win the office, and while she was campaigning, she repeatedly declined to say whether she accepted the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Attendees at Wednesday’s meeting accused Johnson of betraying them since she won her office. She did not respond.
Meanwhile, three South Dakota counties will ask voters Tuesday if they should ban the use of tabulator machines in future local elections. Each of the measures was petitioned onto local ballots by members and supporters of a group called South Dakota Canvassing, of which Weible is a member.
If the measures pass, the auditor’s offices in each county would have to hand-count ballots in the Nov. 5 general election and thereafter. The votes are in Gregory, Haakon and Tripp counties.
Photo: Poll watcher Rick Weible observes the counting of ballots during the Sioux Falls city and school board election on April 9, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight
This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Related posts
- Three SD counties will vote on banning ballot tabulator machines, requiring hand-counting
- Hand counting vs. voting machines: the usual election deniers rage in South Dakota
- Poll shows South Dakota voters question integrity of elections; South Dakota War College names rise of election truthers #1 2023 story
- Not just a leaking nuclear plant: MN tax refugee returns to Monticello to update big lie
- Rick Weible includes SD Secretary of State Monae Johnson as swamp dweller
- Former small-town Minnesota mayor Rick Weible is behind the rise of electoral activism in South Dakota. He's just getting started
- Rick Weible includes SD Secretary of State Monae Johnson as swamp dweller
- SD Searchlight: Incoming Secretary of State looks to hand-count ballots, audit each election
- The big lie goes on tour in Minnesota [Minnesota Reformer]
- Ben Davis, Master of Ceremonies for Dec 2021 'Searching For Truth' event, GOP endorsed in 6A
- Westrom wouldn't talk to local reporter about why he attended sketchy election fraud event
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post.
Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.
I'm on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6
Comments