Despite freezing weather, South Dakotans rally to defend first statewide Anti-Corruption Act

January 12, 2017

Doug's headshot By: Doug Kronaizl
Organizer in South Dakota

I'm not going to lie: the weather was heinous. It was 15 degrees below freezing, there were high winds, and the roads were icy.

But I didn't think even for a second about staying home.

Yesterday was the first day South Dakota politicians came back to the capital to start the legislative session, and I knew some of them would try to use it to attack America's first statewide Anti-Corruption Act created by voters in South Dakota. I couldn't stay at home and watch them do it.

And neither could other South Dakotans.

So instead, people from across the state came together to protest at the capitol in Pierre.

People who live two to four hours away - in Vermillion, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls - got up at the crack of dawn and packed themselves into cars. Others who live in Pierre used their lunch breaks to join the protest.

If it sounds inconvenient, it was. But that didn't bother me. What bothers me is that I live in the fourth most corrupt state in America. That I had to vote on an anti-corruption law at all. And that instead of accepting the outcome of the election - that voters want an anti-corruption law - South Dakota politicians are attacking it and trying to keep the corrupt status quo.

South Dakotans fought to pass this law. Now we'll fight to protect it. That started this week by making the trek to Pierre to make sure politicians know we're watching what they're doing, and they can't just walk away from the law the voters passed.

We gathered in front of the State Capitol, waving signs in our hands. In all, there were fourteen people in attendance - and I heard from several other people that the terrible weather kept them away. People driving by slowed down to read our signs and find out why we were there.

We made sure lawmakers inside could hear us, chanting "Respect the vote!"

We even got the media's attention - reporters from across the state came with cameras in hand to interview us. Stories have popped up all over the state covering our protest.

But we're not done yet. The governor and establishment politicians are still putting up a fight. It's up to us to show them they can't ignore the will of the people.

If you haven't already, you can help by signing the petition demanding politicians stop attacking the Anti-Corruption Act. Each signature triggers an email to their inbox, so they'll feel the pressure.

RepresentUs is America’s leading anti-corruption organization working city-by-city, state-by-state to fix our broken political system.