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South Dakota

Senator Thune PAC Backs South Dakota Amendment L

The Heartland Values PAC contributed $40,000 to the campaign supporting a higher constitutional amendment threshold.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Legislative Policy

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Senator John Thune's Heartland Values PAC donated $40,000 to the campaign supporting South Dakota Amendment L, which would raise the threshold for constitutional changes. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Senator John Thune's political action committee donated $40,000 to the Save Our South Dakota Constitution committee. The organization supports Amendment L, which would raise the voter approval threshold for future constitutional amendments to 60%.

Why it matters

Amendment L aims to make changes to the state constitution more difficult, a contentious issue following the 2022 passage of Medicaid expansion. The outcome will dictate how easily residents can alter the state's governing document in future elections.

The L No committee reported $2,208,520 in total funds as of October 14, bolstered by a $1,697,000 contribution from The Fairness Project and $500,000 from the National Education Association. South Dakota currently maintains no limits on contributions to ballot measure committees.

The players

John Thune

John Thune is a United States Senator who leads the Heartland Values PAC.

The Fairness Project

The Fairness Project is an organization that advocates for progressive ballot measures across the United States.

National Education Association

The National Education Association is a professional organization and labor union representing public school educators.

The details

The recent contribution from the Heartland Values PAC adds to the resources for proponents of Amendment L, who are attempting to increase the requirement for constitutional changes. This move follows previous unsuccessful efforts in 2018 and 2022 to adjust the approval threshold.

Timeline

  1. In 2018, a ballot measure to increase the amendment threshold to 55% failed with 46% support.

  2. During 2022, a threshold increase attempt failed with 32.57% support, while Medicaid expansion passed with 56.2% support.

  3. October 14, 2026, served as the cutoff date for pre-general election campaign finance reports.

  4. October 21, 2026, was the date the Heartland Values PAC contributed $40,000 to the pro-L committee.

Political Context

Proponents of Amendment L seek to prevent future measures from passing with simple majorities, mirroring the success of the 2022 South Dakota Medicaid expansion ballot measure. Opponents argue that raising the requirement to 60% would disenfranchise voters and unfairly limit direct democracy.

If Amendment L passes, future constitutional changes will require 60% voter support, making it significantly harder for citizens to bypass the legislature. This will fundamentally alter the state's civic process and the long-term impact of future ballot initiatives.

The takeaway

Amendment L marks a pivotal attempt to restructure how constitutional law is made in South Dakota. Voters should review the specific requirements for all upcoming amendments to understand how the proposed threshold changes might affect their ability to influence state law.

What happens next

Voters will decide on the fate of Amendment L and other measures, including Amendment I, Amendment J, and Amendment K, during the 2026 general election.

Further reading

For more information on upcoming votes, visit the South Dakota Legislative Policy section.

More information

View the 2026 South Dakota ballot measure pamphlet for more details on the upcoming election.

Live Poll

Should it be harder for voters to amend your state's constitution by increasing the required majority?