Absentee Voting Starts For Events Center Election

SIOUX FALLS, SD - To build or not to build? It's a $115 million decision for Sioux Falls residents. The special election for the proposed events center is six weeks away, but some voters are already casting their ballots.

Absentee voting started at 8: a.m. Tuesday and will be available until the afternoon of the election. But for many voting Tuesday, the first possible day was their only option.

“Well, we're heading south tonight. We're going to Arizona. We go every year to get away from the cold," Bob Wittrock said.

Unlike years ago, absentee voters don't have to list a reason to vote early. You can take the ballot with you and mail it back.  But most who visited Tuesday simply cast their vote on the spot.

"I just wanted to make sure and get my vote cast. There's a great possibility I'll be out of town and wanted my vote in," Greg Sands said.

But voters say the top reason for getting their absentee ballot is the issue itself, an issue that's been hot in Sioux Falls for a very long time.

"I’ve heard about this for ten years just go on and on. It's just time for the community to put a shovel in the ground and get this thing going," Sands said.

But like all elections, both sides are represented at the polls.

"I think they should have done more to the streets and stuff first before they got into something like this," Wittrock said.

It's an ongoing debate in the city that will be settled on November 8.

Absentee voters should remember to bring identification with them. The auditor’s office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Click here to view a sample ballot.