South Dakota Supreme Court denies bid to exclude ballots initially rejected from June election

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota Supreme Court has rejected an effort to exclude more than 100 absentee ballots that a recount board included in the June election count after a precinct board initially rejected the ballots. The leader of a conservative election group and an unsuccessful Republican legislative candidate asked the court last month to order Minnehaha County’s top election official to revert to the unofficial vote count totals without the 132 ballots, among other requests. The court on Friday denied the pair’s request. In June, South Dakota Canvassing President Jessica Pollema had challenged ballots in two precincts, alleging violations related to voter registration forms.