SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A new political party has been officially recognized by the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office.
The “No Labels Party” joins three other officially recognized political parties – Republican, Democratic and Libertarian. The No Labels Party has 30 days to adopt a constitution or bylaws governing its organization and conduct to the secretary of state’s office.
“The No Labels Party’s petitions contained roughly 8,000 signatures and 3,502 are required by law to organize a new political party in South Dakota,” Secretary of State Monae Johnson said in a news release. “My office has validated enough signatures to surpass that number, so the No Labels Party will be the latest political party to be official recognized in South Dakota.”
According to the secretary of state’s office, the No Labels Party currently has no registered voters.
As of August 1, 2023, there were 303,561 registered Republicans, 150,918 registered Democrats, 150,109 Independents and No Party Affiliation, 2,949 Libertarians, 1,412 listed as other and 44,521 inactive voters.
The Libertarian Party became a recognized party on June 17, 2016. Registered voters are listed as “other” when voters write any other political party on their voter registration form that is not currently a recognized political party.
State law says Independent or No Party Affiliation include “any currently registered voter who writes independent, I, Ind, no party affiliation, no party, no choice, nonpartisan, or line crossed off in the choice of party field on the voter registration form.”
