Update: This story has been edited to reflect that the Brookings School Board on Friday approved moving the school board election to June 23.
BROOKINGS – Following action from the South Dakota Legislature on House Bill 1298 this week, the date for the Brookings City Council/Brookings School Board election will change, City Clerk Bonnie Foster said.
The election had been scheduled for April 14, but the COVID-19 pandemic prompted lawmakers to postpone local elections in South Dakota.
The city and school district have to agree on a new election date in June, and officials are looking at June 23 as the alternate date.
The Brookings School Board held a special meeting via Zoom at 3 p.m. Friday, and one of the items on the agenda was “approval for the annual school board election to be held on the fourth Tuesday in June.” The board unanimously approved the change.
The public can watch the meeting online via the district’s Brookings Bobcat Network on YouTube, at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8O42XItAdnBV3n4uYXr2bw.
Action setting the new election date will be forthcoming from the council as well, Foster said. It’s not expected to come before the council at its meeting next week, but rather at the council’s next meeting following that. That’s because the city’s resolution includes more work and details, including lining up the date, vote centers, workers and pay rates.
Per the state legislative action, in-person early/absentee voting remains available at the Brookings City & County Government Center, and will be until 5 p.m. the day before the new election date.
Foster said ballots-by-mail also remain available to voters, and more than 80 voters have chosen that so far. For more information on that option, log onto http://www.cityofbrookings.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2856.
