Events Center Voters Appreciate Easy Ballot

Sioux Falls, SD

Thousands got out to vote Tuesday, and some did so in record time. With only one issue to vote on, people got in and out in a matter of seconds.

It's not exactly rocket science to figure out a yes or no question. But, since the events center was the only issue voters had to decide on, it made going to the polls that much easier.

Rachel Jasper grabbed her ballot, stepped into the booth, filled out one circle and dropped her sheet into the ballot box.  It was a process that, in real time, took a mere 13 seconds.

"I knew the way I was going to vote, so it was just a matter of seconds," Jasper said.

David Brown: "How long would you say that took you?"
Glen Hildebrandt: "5 seconds," voter Glen Hildebrandt said.

And even if voters wanted to skim through the entire ballot, it didn't take that much longer.

"Two minutes to read it and less than 30 seconds to fill in the dot," voter Crystal Buckneberg said.

"Real simple," voter Gary Loop said. "It couldn't be any simpler unless someone came down and voted for me."

The simplicity and expediency of the ballot is obviously a plus for voters. But it's the issue at hand that makes things really easy.

"Because it's the only thing on the ballot, most people coming in, are going to have their minds made up," Hildebrandt said. "They're not going to have to do a lot of reading."

"Last year, you're voting on people and had to take into account personalities and everything," Buckneberg said. "This year, it was yes or no."

And these early voters believe the one-question ballot will lead to record turnout.

"It was a lot easier to read," Buckeberg said. "The language wasn't as convoluted. So, it made reading through everything a lot easier and a lot faster."

"People are in such a hurry and they want to get things done and I think this is a good way to do it," Jasper said.