SoDak Officials Investigate Herseth Sandlin’s Food-for-Votes Scheme

South Dakota’s top law enforcement official confirmed Tuesday that his office is investigating whether three rallies held by Democrats last week violated state law by offering people food in exchange for a chance to cast early ballots.

The state Republican Party filed a complaint with Attorney General Marty Jackley’s office last week after reports that Democrats planned to hold “feeds” on three reservations. Democrats advertised the feeds as an opportunity for voters to get something to eat, followed by the chance to be transported by volunteers to polling places for early voting.

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To bolster their argument, Republicans released two videos of Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, one of the Democratic officials who participated in the events, speaking last week at Crow Creek and Lower Brule. In both, she implored voters to support her, and at Crow Creek, she told the attendees that they could cross the street and cast early ballots.

Read more: (Jonathan Ellis, “State Probes Voting ‘Feeds’,” Argus Leader, 10/20/2010)