What Is 2020 South Dakota ballot measures

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: In 2020, South Dakota voters considered six statewide ballot measures, including two initiated measures and four referred measures. Notably, voters approved Constitutional Amendment G, legalizing recreational marijuana, and rejected Initiated Measure 26, which would have banned most abortions.

Key Facts

South Dakota voters approved Constitutional Amendment G on November 3, 2020, legalizing recreational marijuana for adults 21+.
Initiated Measure 26, which sought to ban most abortions, was rejected by 52% of voters.
Constitutional Amendment A, also related to marijuana legalization, was defeated with 52.8% voting 'no'.
Referred Law 27, repealing a 2019 hemp legalization law, was rejected by 67% of voters.
South Dakota became the first state to approve recreational marijuana via ballot in 2020, though implementation faced legal delays.

Overview

The 2020 South Dakota ballot included six measures that addressed significant social, legal, and agricultural issues. These measures were a mix of initiated constitutional amendments, initiated statutes, and referred laws passed by the state legislature.

Voters cast their ballots on November 3, 2020, as part of the general election. The outcomes had lasting impacts on state policy, particularly in marijuana legalization and abortion rights.

Constitutional Amendment G passed with 54.6% of the vote, legalizing recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, making South Dakota the first state to approve it via ballot initiative in 2020.
Initiated Measure 26 proposed a near-total abortion ban with limited exceptions, but was rejected by 52% of voters, preserving existing abortion access.
Constitutional Amendment A aimed to legalize marijuana but was rejected by 52.8% of voters, highlighting voter confusion between it and Amendment G.
Referred Law 27 sought to repeal the 2019 industrial hemp law but failed, with 67% voting to keep hemp legal.
Initiated Measure 27 targeted payday lending practices and passed with 60% support, capping interest rates at 36% annually.

How It Works

South Dakota allows citizens and the legislature to place measures directly on the ballot through petitions or legislative referral, enabling direct democracy on key issues.

Term: An initiated constitutional amendment requires signature collection equal to 8% of the last gubernatorial vote, or 33,921 valid signatures. Once verified, it goes directly to voters.
Initiated Measure 26 required 25,000 valid signatures to qualify; organizers submitted over 35,000, ensuring its place on the 2020 ballot despite legal challenges.
Constitutional Amendment G was filed by the group New Approach South Dakota, which spent over $2.8 million on campaign efforts to secure passage.
Referred Law 27 was sent to voters by the state legislature after repealing SB 93, a 2019 law legalizing hemp, due to federal compliance concerns.
Initiated Measure 27 was sponsored by the South Dakotans for Responsible Lending coalition to combat predatory lending, defining loans with APRs above 36% as usurious.
Ballot structure included two initiated constitutional amendments (A and G), one initiated statute (27), one referred law (27), and two initiated measures (26 and 27), creating voter confusion.

Comparison at a Glance

The following table compares the six 2020 South Dakota ballot measures by type, subject, outcome, and vote margin:

Measure	Type	Subject	Outcome	Vote Margin
Constitutional Amendment A	Initiated Constitutional Amendment	Marijuana Legalization	Defeated	52.8% No
Constitutional Amendment G	Initiated Constitutional Amendment	Recreational Marijuana	Approved	54.6% Yes
Initiated Measure 26	Initiated Statute	Abortion Ban	Defeated	52% No
Initiated Measure 27	Initiated Statute	Payday Lending Cap	Approved	60% Yes
Referred Law 27	Referred Law	Hemp Repeal	Defeated	67% No

Confusion between Constitutional Amendment A and Amendment G—both related to marijuana—likely contributed to the split outcome. Amendment G passed while Amendment A failed, illustrating how similar measures can compete and affect voter decisions. Legal challenges later invalidated Amendment G in 2021, delaying implementation despite voter approval.

Why It Matters

The 2020 ballot measures reflected South Dakota voters’ priorities on personal freedom, financial regulation, and healthcare access, setting precedents for future policy debates.

Amendment G’s passage marked a cultural shift, though its 2021 invalidation by a state court delayed recreational marijuana rollout until 2022 via legislative action.
Abortion rights remained protected after IM 26’s defeat, a rare outcome in a deeply conservative state during a national wave of abortion restrictions.
Payday lending reform through IM 27 capped interest rates, protecting low-income borrowers from debt cycles with APRs exceeding 300%.
Hemp retention ensured South Dakota farmers could continue cultivating industrial hemp under USDA guidelines, supporting rural economies.
Direct democracy in South Dakota allows citizens to bypass the legislature, but complex or overlapping measures can lead to voter confusion and unintended consequences.
National attention focused on South Dakota as a test case for marijuana legalization in conservative states, influencing campaigns in neighboring states like Nebraska and Missouri.

These measures demonstrated the power and complexity of ballot initiatives in shaping state law, with long-term legal, economic, and social implications.