Sept. 30, 2020 - Election Issue

SDSU BOOKSTORE NOW OPEN!

September 30, 2020

MONDAY-FRIDAY 8AM-4PM

Sources: U.S. Election Assistance Commission, U.S. Census and SD District 7 sample ballot

A4

ELECTION INTEGRITY Expert panel debunks idea of widespread voter fraud with increased mail-in voting.

SINGLE ISSUE FREE

SDSUCOLLEGIAN.COM

A8

VOTING IN SD

There are three options for SD voters: vote early, absentee or in person Nov. 3.

To read further on the 2020 election coverage, look for the symbol on the right.

2020 ELECTION

SDSU’S STUDENT-RUN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1885

A2 sdsucollegian.com

NEWS

September 30, 2020

SA increases transparency with meeting recordings GRACIE TERRALL News Editor (She/Her) The Students’ Association Senate met Monday Sept.

28 to discuss Amendment 20-02-A and the notion of offering recorded videos of Senate meetings to the public.

Andrew Rasmussen, Senator-At-Large and sponsor for the amendment, discussed how important open government was and the need to remain compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“This amendment gives a recorded option

so students can see what t h e i r gove r n m e n t i s doing on their own time,” Rasmussen said.

Initially, the amendment read, “The senate shall provide live streamed and recorded versions of all public Senate meetings.”

Vice President Reis Bruley voted to strike “live streamed and” from the potential bylaw, as they are still working on the logistics of live streamed meetings.

This change to the bylaw will now require every SA meeting to be recorded and released to the public in a timely

manner. This includes both Zoom meetings, which they are currently having, and future meetings that are in person.

Senators opposed to this amendment were concerned that students lack interest in what SA is doing for students and the school.

“Don’t we already put our minutes out there?”

Senator Peterson said. “Do we really need to keep putting more out there?”

According to Rasmussen, an open and transparent government is important, and students should have the right to see the way the senators

they voted for are working.

“Just because you don’t use your right to open government, doesn’t mean you should lose it,” Rasmussen said.

For some senators, they believed the amendment would restrict future senators.

“When we talk about bylaws, I am always really hesitant to make changes on them, because those changes are forever,” Senator Anthony Shimon said.

Chief of Staff Rachel Schoon rebuttled Shimon’s statement by clarifying that all amendments, regardless of what

Collegian photo by FRANKIE HERRERA (HE/HIM) Senator-At-Large Andrew Rasmussen

they are, restrict future senates, and that shouldn’t be a factor in voting.

The amendment passed 20-7 and all future SA recorded meetings will be uploaded to the

Student’s Association website the following day.

Frid

FREE Ride Share Masks Req

Fridays & Saturdays

9:00 PM - 2:30 AMthe Download TapRide Masks Required. No Mask = No Ride.App

Download the TapRide App & request a ride for FREE!

request a ride for FREE!

Easy to access: 1) Download the TapRide App 2) Open the app & select “South Dakota State University” 3) Log into the app using your Single Sign On “SSO”to to request a ride right from your location!

Easy Access:

Download the

TapRide App request a ride for FREE!

1.) Download the TapRide App 2.) Open the app & select "South Dakota State University"

Ea

1.)

2.)

"So

3.)

"SS

sdsucollegian.com

2020

September 30, 2020

ELECTION

NEWS

A3

Former Brookings Mayor Tim Reed runs for District 7 representative MEGAN BERTSCH Copy Editor (She/Her)

SUBMITTED BY TIM REED District Seven Representative

Tim Reed is no stranger to serving the Brookings Community. He is the current District Seven representative up for re-election, serving two terms in the legislature thus far.

Before that, Reed served in local government, including the position of Mayor of Brookings for eight years. He was also on the Brookings City Council for five years.

“I actually spent 17 years in public service.

So when you ask what sets me apart, that does,”

Reed said. “You know a lot of work is going to have to be done to recover all the issues that we have from the coronavirus, and I want to use my experience to help us recover and help South Dakota recover as soon as possible.”

O n e o f R e e d ’s proudest accomplishments as a member of the House of Representatives is the many bills he’s helped pass in regards to sexual assault in South Dakota.

“I also do a lot of work with helping sexual assault victims get justice.

I’ve done a lot of work

with rape kits in the last two years,” Reed said.

These bills include House Bill 1074, previously described as lengthening the storage time for anonymous rape kits, HB 1126, which ensures that victims of rape do not have to pay for an examination and many others listed on votereed.com.

As a South Dakota State University alumnus and Brookings native himself, Reed also mentioned the work he has done to support SDSU in his last session, including raising money to get the Bioprocessing Institute started.

“You know there’s a lot of good things going on on campus with how they can better use, whether it be soybean or corn to add more value,” Reed said.

He went on to describe how the Bioprocessing Institute helps convert byproducts of agriculture, like using soybean meal to make products like fish food, reducing waste and creating solutions for science and business alike.

“So that’s the other thing, getting good projects going for SDSU,” he said.

Former State Senator Larry Tidemann runs for District 7 representative MEGAN BERTSCH Copy Editor (She/Her)

Submitted

SUBMITTED BY LARRY TIDEMANN Former District Seven Senator

Larry Tidemann is a former South Dakota Senator up for election into the House of Representatives. He has served the state legislature for six years in the house, and then ran for the Senate serving eight years.

Working for South Dakota State University, Tidemann was a leader in agriculture and natural resources for 16 years and worked as director of cooperative extension and associate dean of agriculture for the last six years.

“I think, those experiences, working with people on trying to decide

what were their wants and what were their needs, was very valuable as you go through the legislative process and look at the potential bills, or what impacts those bills may have on people,” Tidemann said.

Tidemann is also a South Dakota native, SDSU alumnus and Vietnam War veteran.

Having spent most of his life working for SDSU, he retired in 2004, but still works to better the university.

“I think that there’s a couple things that I did in working with the Student Association from SDSU and the State Students’ Association,” Tidemann said. “First off, I helped carry the first bill for the

Wellness Center. The students had put that forward, done the survey on campus, and they demonstrated that it was a need that they needed to have, and so I carried that for them.”

Tidemann also helped pass the Good Samaritan Bill, a bill that forgives underage drinking if a young person was caught by the police because they stayed to help someone who was hurt.

He mentioned the different campus buildings he contributed to in his time in office, as well.

“The remodel that’s going on with Frost Arena, the swine building and the cow-calf unit. Those are just a few that I helped get through the process,”

Tidemann said.

Tidemann also explained how, if elected into the House of Representatives, he would help the state recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

He stressed the importance of getting a vaccine in South Dakota, aiding students and the elderly, improving the community’s mental health and distributing funds to rebuild the economy.

“I think that if you check my record, you’ll see that I’ve been a very strong supporter for being a conservative, but yet willing to invest in things that are going to make a difference for the state in the future,” Tidemann said.

TO READ COVERAGE ON HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CANDIDATE FOR DISTRICT 7LOUISE SNODGRASS SEE LOUISE ON A6

A4

NEWS

2020

sdsucollegian.com

ELECTION

September 30, 2020

Collegian photo by MEGAN BERTSCH (She/Her) Moderator Jack Marsh interviews Secretary of State Steve Barnett, former Minnehaha County Auditor Sue Roust and State Chief Information Security Officer Jim Edman about election integrity in South Dakota.

Important questions answered on election integrity in South Dakota MEGAN BERTSCH Copy Editor (She/Her) The Rotary Club of Downtown Sioux Falls hosted a panel to discuss election integrity in South Dakota Sept. 14.

“Although we have been conducting elections in this nation for well over centuries, the legitimacy of our election process is under intense scrutiny at the very time that we are holding the most contentious presidential elections in the nation’s history,” said Jack Marsh, moderator of the event and rotarian.

The officials on the panel included: Secretary of State Steve Barnett, former Minnehaha county auditor Sue Roust and Jim Edman, state chief information security officer.

Marsh began the meeting by quoting President Donald Trump, who has very publicly voiced concerns and doubts about the security of the United States

voting system, particularly mail-in ballots.

According to a Tweet

by President Donald Trump, “There is no way, zero, that mail-in ballots would be anything less than substantially fraudulent. Mailboxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged and even illegally printed out and fraudulently signed.”

Though not making public any particular stance on the president’s words, the club had many questions for the South Dakota officials, and for good reason. In April 2020, during the spring primary, the state sent out absentee application forms to all registered voters in South Dakota and received an especially large number of mail-in absentee ballots.

“There was a big response to them,” Barnett said. “I think in the 2020 primary there were over 50% of ballots that were absentee... It was a big number, especially compared to primaries in previous years, you

know maybe 17% of the votes cast were absentee.”

When Barnett was asked about the integrity of the South Dakota voting process in general, he demonstrated a strong confidence in the current system, explaining the measures in place.

“I think we have adequate safeguards where instead of just sending out a live ballot to somebody, the responsibility is put on the voter to fill out an absentee application form, which needs an original wet signature and has to be accompanied by a photo ID or notarized,” Barnett said.

In her experience as auditor, Roust agreed, explaining the process on her end even in other states.

“I think even in the states that automatically send ballots out, typically they have the signature matching that the secretary just described. When the ballot comes back, they would be signature matching to the registration that is on file, so they

do the same sort of process that we do,” she said.

Chief Information Security Officer Edman was asked about the technology put in place regarding hackers and foreign threats. He explained that his department has a large amount of information they must make public but also many things they have responsibility to keep private.

However, he is confident that the system is very secure against cyber attacks.

“We see a lot of attacks on a daily basis in the state government. It probably adds up to billions on a monthly basis,” Edman said. “The technology, the tabulation, that process is really rock solid. I don’t stay up late at night worrying about the election and how the votes are being counted, and whether they’re legitimate or not. That process is really tried and true and full of integrity.”

Marsh asked for reassurance that there are enough firewalls and pro-

tection to keep foreign forces from meddling in the upcoming election.

“There are significant amounts of evidence in regards to foreign nations and trying to influence the election, but their ability

in South Dakota to impact the vote itself, not gonna happen,” Edman said.

Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com

LIFESTYLES

2020

sdsucollegian.com September 30, 2020

A5

ELECTION

Campaign promises and presidential realities JACOB BOYKO Reporter (He/Him) The presidential election of 2016 was widely heralded as the “strangest election of our lifetimes.”

Pr a c t i c a l l y n o b o d y expected a somewhat rash New York billionaire to defy all odds and trample through the GOP’s most experienced politicians and shatter the Democrats’ “Blue Wall” of the upper-Midwest in the general election.

If it were not for the last eight months of this year, with the overthrow of Bernie Sanders in the primary, unrest in America’s cities and the beginning of

the COVID-19 pandemic, 2016 may have remained the strangest election cycle in our lifetimes.

However, the stakes are high for this election, and Americans have a lot to digest before they head to the polls or mail in their ballots. What you see is not necessarily always what you get, and both Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s time on the campaign trail holds to this notion.

In 2015 and 2016, Trump energized his base in ways few other politicians dared to do.

However, the president has not delivered on everything he said he would get done.

50-80% OFF RETAIL KING SETS START AT $300 QUEEN SETS START AT $150

According to Ann Coleman, a political science professor at South Dakota State University, the then-candidate Trump pledged to end funding for sanctuary cities, construct a massive border wall between the United States and Mexico, enact a national right to carry and, much to the dismay of the Washington “swamp,” impose term limits for members of congress.

“I do not think he and a lot of the people understood how the government works,” Coleman said. “The president may have great ideas, but he has to find someone to introduce that legislation.

Term limits for congress would have needed congressional support and maybe even a constitutional amendment.”

Coleman also highlighted the president’s use of executive orders to circumvent opposition in the Democratic congress, a process that often leads to a court ruling, like with the controversial travel ban or with the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The most damaging broken promise, however, is likely the GOP’s failure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), evident

by President Trump’s rejuvenated efforts for an

“America First” plan just weeks before the general election to save face. But Coleman does not expect the failure to repeal and replace the ACA, or any other policy issue, to affect Trump’s reelection prospects in any major way.

“His damage isn’t coming from broken promises. His damage is coming from Twitter. He is so divisive that you either love him or hate him,” Coleman said, referring to the president’s sometimes controversial statements on the social media website.

Another damaging factor, Coleman said, will likely be the Trump Administration’s

COVID-19 response, with some arguing he should have acted sooner.

But the people who love President Trump really love President Trump. His renegade spirit and pledge to always put America first continues to enthuse rural voters.

“He was always critical of Obama’s backtracking of American leadership around the world. Not everyone was happy with how [the Trump Administration] did it, but they have kept America first,” Coleman said.

Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL The Collegian

@sdsucollegian @CollegianSports @collegian_live

sdsucollegian

sdsucollegian

For a showing call 605-695-8223

A6

From A3

LOUISE

2020

sdsucollegian.com

ELECTION

Snodgrass embraces TikTok on campaign trail

Collegian photo by FRANKIE HERRERA (He/Him) Louise Snodgrass, 25, House of Representatives candidate for District 7, was photographed working at Good Roots Farm and Gardens north of Brookings.

GRACIE TERRALL News Editor (She/Her) As she scrolled through her TikTok For You Page, South Dakota State University graduate student, Emma Williams, came across a video of Louise Snodgrass announcing they were running for South Dakota District 7 representative.

I n t h e i r v i d e o, Snodgrass declared that, as a homegrown South Dakotan, they were “tired of watching the state government of South Dakota destroy our natural resources and oppress its people.”

For Williams, seeing someone run in her town who was closer to her

age and related more to younger voters opened her eyes to how she viewed politics.

“That’s the difference between Louise and other candidates: they’re using their platforms to connect, whereas others are using it merely to share and to just put information out there,” Williams said.

“Louise is like, ‘no, this is a tool for connection and building community.’”

Snodgrass announced their campaign June 14 using their TikTok account, @loudang. Since then, they have gained almost 19,000 followers, 621 followers on Twitter and 660 followers on Facebook.

“I wasn’t going to use TikTok for campaigning

at all, but I decided to tell my micro-audience.

People got really excited,” Snodgrass said. “Now I am reaching a really broad audience and connecting with them, and they help me feel empowered.”

legislation—HB1057, HB 1215 and SB 88— that was proposed during the 2020 legislative session.

In a Facebook post from Jan. 28, Snodgrass asked: “How loud does my voice have to be for

“I am not seeking national attention,” Snodgrass said. “But the nation sees how badly South Dakota needs change. This campaign is about Brookings, but it is also bigger than Brookings.”

LOUISE SNODGRASS District 7 Legislative Candidate Initially, Snodgrass decided to run after seeing the anti-LGBTQ

anyone in Pierre to hear me?”

This post, along with

an influx of community support, that sparked their campaign. “ My c o m m u n i t y flooded my inbox,” Snodgrass said. “It was a resounding ‘we want you to do this, we will support you, we want you to be the voice to amplify our voices.’”

Snodgrass contributes their popularity and appeal with young, new voters to their young age and being in touch with the concerns of the community and SDSU. Combining their knack for social media and outreach with their understanding of niche internet culture, Sndograss is able to appeal to both millennials and Generation Z. “Social media is so

different, so I prioritize different platforms for different things because I understand who’s using which platform more,” Snodgrass said.

Nick Fre n c h , Snodgrass’s campaign manager and a communications graduate student at SDSU, says using social media for advocacy and awareness is essential.

“You can have candidates that have decades of experience in knowing how to create print mailers, but we’re at an advantage where Louise has almost a decade of experience living on the internet and knowing how to brand themselves on the internet,” French said.

Typically, a representative is able to run for

September 30, 2020 eight consecutive years; h oweve r, S n o d g ra s s intends to only run for two years– a single term.

While some may think this discredits their loyalty to the job and to Brookings, Snodgrass said they do plan on running for however long Brookings needs them.

“I want to build a platform that others can stand on,” they said. “I want people to see that they can take action for their communities. I am intentionally building this campaign that, win or lose, there is a way forward.”

Although they have gained such a large following from around the country, Snodgrass still

LIFESTYLES intends to remain dutifully loyal to Brookings.

However, they hope the message from their c a m p a i g n re s o n ate s with people all over the country.

“I am not seeking n at i o n a l atte nt i o n , ” Snodgrass said. “But the nation sees how badly South Dakota needs change. This campaign is about Brookings, but it is also bigger than Brookings.”

Snodgrass has been open on all of their platforms about the policies and plans they hope to contribute if they make it to Pierre.

“I think representation is really important, and I

think we need a lot more preemptive legislation passed that protects communities and against legislation like [anti-LGBTQ

lower class communities.

According to Snodgrass, there is clear discrimination in housing, employment

LOUISE’S TIKTOK STATS 18.8K followers 457.8K total likes 292.5K views on campaign announcement bills] from even being proposed,” they said.

These at-risk groups in South Dakota include LGBTQ and Two-spirit indigenous communities, Native communities (Dakota, Lakota and Nakota), women and

and reproductive care in South Dakota. While serving as a representative, they would work to help eliminate some of that discrimination.

As for S D S U, Snodgrass hopes to advocate for better treatment

of faculty members. They are concerned that educator and staff contracts are not being written fairly, nor are they being compensated justly.

“We’re getting new administrative positions all the time, and we have departments that are severely understaffed. I want to get to the bottom of that and I want to support educators,” they said.

Snodgrass releases both political and personal content on their TikTok page. This way, they can connect with their audience on more genuine terms rather than having a separate account for entirely political posts.

“Really what sells is

A7

being authentic and true to yourself,” French said.

“That’s what Louise is doing.”

This election is unlike any election America, or South Dakota, has ever seen. Candidates are battling controversial topics and finding ways to campaign during a pandemic; Louise is doing that through TikTok. “This is not a conventional year, and we can see that traditional campaigning is not working,” Snodgrass said. “We are the generation of being resourceful and trying to work with what is broken.

That is exactly what I want to do with my campaign.”

Collegian photos by FRANKIE HERRERA (He/Him)

A8

LIFESTYLES

2020

sdsucollegian.com September 30, 2020

ELECTION

Voting in South Dakota: What you need to know

Collegian graphic by HOLLIE LEGGETT (She/Her)

ANDREW RASMUSSEN Reporter (He/Him) Election day is weeks away, but voting has already begun in South Dakota.

While the general election officially takes place Nov. 3, early and absentee voting started Sept. 18.

In order to cast a ballot, a voter must register by the Oct. 19 deadline. Once registered, the voter has a few options

when it comes to casting a ballot.

Option 1: Vote early.

The voter may go to the Brookings City and County Government Center and cast their vote during business hours any time between now and election day.

O p t i o n 2 : Vo t e absentee. Submitting an absentee ballot allows the voter to vote by mailing in a ballot. This is an option for students who are registered to vote at another location in South Dakota.

“To account for mail processing and delivery times, voters are encouraged to request an absentee ballot as soon as possible and return the ballot to the county auditor allowing s u f f i c i e nt t i m e f o r delivery,” according to a press release issued by Secretary of State Steven Barnett.

The ballot must be received by Election Day in order to be counted.

Absentee applications can be found on the

South Dakota Secretary of State’s website.

Option 3: Vote in person on Election Day. Voters can cast their ballots on Nov. 3 at three locations in the City of Brookings between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. according to the City of Brookings election website.

Voting locations in the City of Brookings include: Holy Life Tabernacle, Brookings Activity Center and the Bethel Baptist Church.

Voter registration must be submitted by Oct. 19. In order to register to vote, the voter must be: 18 years old on election day, be a citizen of the United States and reside in South Dakota.

Voter registration forms can be found at the South Dakota Secretary of State website.

Students are indeed allowed to register in Brookings County according to the SD Secretary of State’s website.

As a college student, you have two choices on where you register to vote, the website states.

“Where you live now, whether that is an on-campus or off-campus address,” or at your permanent home address.

Further information on registering to vote or obtaining an absentee ballot can be found at South Dakota Secretary of State website. Information specific to Brookings voting can be found at the county website.

Option one:

Option two:

Option three:

Vote early from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Brookings City and County Government Center.

Send Absentee Ballots to: Brookings County Finance Office 520 3rd Street, Suite 100 Brookings, SD 57006

Vote in person Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Activity Center, Holy Life Tabernacle or Bethel Baptist Church in the City of Brookings.

OPINION

2020

sdsucollegian.com September 30, 2020

A9

ELECTION

EDITORIAL Issue: The importance of voting in local elections

Collegian graphic by HOLLIE LEGGETT (She/Her)

This is a very crucial time in politics.

No matter what party you belong to or where you are from, it is so important now more than ever to have your voice heard, starting with your state and local elections. First thing’s first: there should be a clear understanding about how local government works and how it ultimately affects the bigger picture as it pertains to the White House.

When Americans cast their vote for president, they are actually directing other people, “electors,” who then cast their votes for the presidential and vice presidential candidates that receive the most votes in their state. After that, the vote for the winning candidates is sent to the state capitol and the Electoral College and its members vote for South Dakota based on these results.

South Dakota, according to the South Dakota Secretary of State, gets three electoral votes in the presidential election.

For local government in South Dakota though, the amount of actual voters in the state vs. the number of elected officials, and those sending in these votes, is disproportionate. CBS News reported that 44% of South Dakota voters are conservative; however, the South Dakota Legislative Research Council (SDLRC) notes that 80% of our legislators are Republican. To put that in perspective, the South Dakota Legislature has 107 voting members, and 91 of them are Republicans, despite the fact that the majority of voters in the state do not align with this party.

When it comes to representation in our local government, it is important to not only have people who have your best interests at heart, but diverse people who look and think like the citizens they’re representing. These types of candidates truly care about citizens’ issues and concerns. The current leaders of

South Dakota, like many other states, do not represent the wide variety of South Dakota residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 49.8% of the South Dakota population is female; however, there are only 25 women out of 105 members of the state legislature.

There is also only one Black man and five Indigenous people, disproportionate to the many minority populations in South Dakota.

Additionally, since the South Dakota Set Term Limits Amendment in 1992, legislators are limited to a maximum of four consecutive terms, or eight years, in the same legislature. However, some argue that this is not strict enough, because many politicians are just moving to a different part of the legislature or taking two years off before running again. This also contributes to older representatives who do not necessarily speak for the interests of young people.

This election is truly making headlines in ways past elections have not.

Between the demand for Trump’s tax returns, to the replacing of RBG with Republican Amy Coney Bennett, this is a time to really be loud and stand up for change. Speak up in the best way you possibly can, by exercising your right as an American citizen and going out on Nov. 3 and voting. Not just for a president, but for your local legislative representatives. Because remember, all elections matter.

The Collegian Editorial Board meets weekly and agrees on the issue of the editorial.

The editorial represents the opinion of The Collegian.

A10 OPINION

2020

sdsucollegian.com September 30, 2020

ELECTION

Vote. It’s that simple.

COLLEGE REPUBLICANS

A multitude of worries COLLEGE DEMOCRATS Former Vice President Joe Biden’s journey to the presidential nomination has certainly been tumultuous. While maybe not every Democrat’s firstchoice candidate, Joe Biden’s left-centrist positions on climate change, taxation policy and social issues leave the door open to all Democrats, as well as former Trump supporters who may be appalled by his lack of leadership or vile rhetoric against women, people of color and immigrants. Every election year we hear the same thing, “it’s the most important election of your life.” Here’s my perspective as a Democrat.

I’m worried about Donald Trump’s rhetoric and authoritarianism.

Comments from him and his team deeming anything unflattering about him as “fake news” is concerning to say the least. Recent comments from Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle paint Joe Biden and the Democratic Party as radical leftists who want to destroy America.

Donald Trump has called Americans who’ve

died in war “losers” and “suckers,” and most alarming, Donald Trump has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the November election. This refusal alone is the hallmark of a fascist, authoritarian leader. In our American Republic where we democratically vote for our president, noncompliance to peaceful transitions is alarming.

I’m also worried about our national security.

Through his lack of leadership, Donald Trump let over 200,000 Americans die from coronavirus.

The Mueller Investigation found Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential Election to support Donald Trump’s candidacy. In 2019, Donald Trump engaged with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, urging him to disclose negative information on Joe Biden by using U.S. Military aid as collateral.

However, the subject concerning me most is the vacancy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat. In 2016, S e n ate Re p u b l i c a n s blocked then-President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the

high court, citing the election year as their reasoning.

Now, four years later, S e n ate Re p u b l i c a n s (including South Dakota’s powerful Majority Whip, John Thune) have suddenly decided to reverse their previous precedent and vote on President Trump’s nominee.

I have no doubt that whoever Trump nominates to the high court will be a partisan conservative, staunchly against any judicial progressivism in this country. Potential nominees have spoken out against previous rulings and therefore, the possibility of landmark rulings being overturned is high.

Rulings such as Roe v. Wade, guaranteeing the right to an abortion, Obergefell v. Hodges guaranteeing the right to same-sex marriage and DHS v. the Regents protecting DACA recipients have the possibility of being overturned.

Overturning those rulings puts millions of Americans and their human rights in jeopardy.

Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com

With the 2020 election right around the corner, we have one simple message: Vote.

During the 2018 midterm election, voter turnout in the 18-29 age range was 36%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

While that is a significant increase from the 20% in 2014, there is still work to be done.

As quoted in the movie “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “You gotta bump those numbers up, those are rookie numbers.”

Students often write off voting because they don’t care, don’t know how, feel like their vote doesn’t matter or don’t know the issues well enough, when in fact that could not be further from the truth.

As college students, our voices matter. Election decisions, from the president all the way down the

ballot to the city council, affect our education and our college experience, and this election will be no different.

For example, early in September, the Brookings City Council considered legislation that was directly targeted at college students; however, it is an open secret that college kids don’t vote. Therefore, our voices are left out of the conversations.

The South Dakota Legislature regularly considers legislation regarding South Dakota State University academic programs and buildings, scholarships and more.

While you live here in Brookings, you are allowed to vote here. You can register from your residential hall room or wherever else you live.

It is time for students in Brookings to start using their voice.

Sharing a tweet from the Barstool doesn’t have

near the power of voting, yet it takes less time than you spend on TikTok. The student vote could be the most powerful voting bloc in Brookings, yet we do not take advantage of this essential liberty—the time is now.

While we would encourage you to support Republican candidates in the upcoming election, we just want you to cast a ballot.

If you’re interested in being involved before or after election day, consider joining the SDSU College Republicans.

Their connections, lobbying power and influence can help your voice be heard year-round.

The election is Nov. 3, and the deadline to register in South Dakota is Oct. 19.

Vote. It’s that simple.

sdsucollegian.com

2020

September 30, 2020

OPINION A11

ELECTION

A Black and white vote: Statewide voter disparities

Collegian graphic by HOLLIE LEGGETT (She/Her)

ANDRE GARY-MACK Opinion Editor (He/Him) It is no secret that 2020 has been quite the year.

There has been some good, but mostly it has been like we are living in some sick and twisted experiment. Between COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement, RBG’s death and a controversial election year, things have seemed to go left really quickly in the country.

With all that is going on, everyone’s voice should be heard, which has been a running theme

Volume 136 • Issue 5

in the good ole USA. Let’s talk about South Dakota, since this is where we are and where we should focus on.

According to an article posted on roadsnacks.net Dec. 21, 2019 and updated in early 2020 for accuracy, South Dakota’s African American population makes up 1.8% of South Dakota’s population.

To put that into perspective, that is only 15,840 African Americans in the entire state. 10,301 African American’s live in Sioux Falls alone, followed by Aberdeen hosting the second highest population of 656 African

American residents. Let’s dive a little deeper into the Black vote specifically.

In the 2016 presidential election, South Dakota had the worst turnout of Black voters reported by Wallethub.

In the 2018 midterm elections, South Dakota was a part of that list yet again with the worst turnout of Black voters. Why are Black voters not coming out and letting their voice be heard in South Dakota in comparison to other states?

For one, it is just that the Black community is under-represented in South Dakota, in likeness

The Collegian is the independent student newspaper at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. The Collegian is published by and for South Dakota State University students under the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and a free press.

Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration.

The Collegian is published weekly on Wednesday during the academic year of SDSU.

to other states like Illinois and Idaho that have a much better turnout.

Being a part of a marginalized group, such as people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals or any other group can be extremely disheartening in this day and age. They can feel like a second class citizen in a time period where we should have progressed far beyond that point in history. It has been exactly 100 years since white women were granted the right to vote, and yet Amy Coney Barrett will likely set back every door that was opened for her by RBG;

Emily Seaton Editor-in-Chief

setting back any and all feminist movements fought for.

The 15th Amendment gave anyone of color the right to vote and not be denied that right. We are in a time period of major discord, and your voice needs to be heard.

Between the rhetoric that Trump has spoken about his alleged helping of the Black community and what his actions have actually displayed, it is that much more imperative to be visible on voting day.

Is it as clear as this election being a Black and white issue? The lines

J. Michael Bertsch Managing Editor

Jordan Rusche

Gracie Terrall

Andre Gary-Mack

Frankie Herrera

Omar Imran

Hollie Leggett

Lillie Albers

Megan Bertsch

Josie Nelson

Elise Heesch

Lifestyles Editor

Graphic Designer Ad Sales Representative & Designer

News Editor

Graphic Designer Ad Manager

Opinion Editor

Public Relations Coordinator

Lesly Abarca

Ad Sales Representative

Photo Chief Copy Editor

Emily Urban

Ad Sales Representative

can become blurred when you have people marching for social justice, yelling “defund the police” or speaking on matters of how Trump really has not done anything for the Black community, yet takes all the accolades for the work of previous leaders. Whether you are Black, white, male, female or other, it is so necessary to let the country know how you feel about our administration by getting up and voting, because believe it or not, the answers to who you think should be leading our country are very Black and white.

Letters to the Editor Send letters to letters@ sdsucollegian.com or to USU 069 Box 2815, Brookings, S.D. 57006.

You can also post comments online at www.sdsucollegian.com.

Please keep to less than 250 words.

Main line: 605.688.6164 Newsroom: 605.688.6166 Editor-in-Chief: 605.688.6178

A12

September 30, 2020

2020

sdsucollegian.com

ELECTION

Sports Opinion

SPORTS

Sporting figures using their voices for good isn’t a bad thing SYDNEY SMITH Reporter (She/Her) Sports and politics. Two of the most dominating, discussed and debated topics in the U.S. It’s hard to have a civil conversation about either of these interests and their opposing sides without getting into an argument, as proven from personal experience.

In any and all ways possible, I try to keep these separate, just like science and religion. They don’t have the same kind of connection, but the same kind of possible disputes await.

But now, the much-anticipated return to having sports on television that would normally be viewed as an exciting thing to enjoy is driving Americans apart.

Instead of being able to watch Lebron James and the Lakers fight to make it into the NBA Finals peacefully, fans

are analyzing what NBA players and athletes post on social media.

I get it; we’re in a different time than the years before, and athletes are now speaking up and trying to use their platforms for change. But that’s where the problem is; fans, media personalities and reporters alike are criticizing athletes for how or why they choose to talk about topics like the Black Lives Matter movement or the need to vote.

Instead of using what “controversial” topics these prominent figures talk about as an excuse to be angry with them, sit and think about the potential benefits first.

If a young kid sees Lebron James or Chris Paul standing up for what they believe in, maybe a whole new generation of kids will feel the same empowerment. If NBA teams offer their arenas as voting centers for the

presidential election, maybe more people who are scared to vote during this pandemic will go out to these socially distanced polling places.

And that last idea is not an “if;” it’s happening.

The Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks have offered and committed their arenas, training facilities and headquarters as voting centers in their respective cities.

Their activism doesn’t stop there. These teams are also working towards efforts that encourage voter awareness and participation. The Pistons have made their state’s primary and national election dates paid days off for staff.

Voting is commonly referred to as a civic duty to be completed by American citizens of legal age. It seems that some people forget that these athletes are also American citizens with a duty to

complete and are people who also have a platform to encourage that.

Sporting figures are allowed to have their own opinions, even if it clashes with your own. Sporting figures are allowed to use their platform to stand up for what they believe in.

Yes, there’s a fine line between standing up for what you believe in and being disrespectful, but that isn’t something new.

People have been vocal about their beliefs for as long as I can remember.

But telling athletes to “shut up and dribble” does nothing. Actions speak louder than words, and if NBA teams can be committed to giving a wide amount of people the opportunity to vote, then that’s something to support.

Sports and politics.

Two topics that people feel very strongly about.

Why not combine them for good?

Collegian graphic by HOLLIE LEGGETT (She/Her)