The state Department of Public Safety on Monday announced the removal of 273 “noncitizens," saying: “This discovery was part of a review to ensure the integrity of South Dakota’s elections and safeguard against improper voter registration.”
In a statement, Republican Secretary of State Monae Johnson said, “Ensuring the integrity of our elections is our highest priority. We are proud of the thorough work done to safeguard South Dakota’s voter rolls. We worked closely with DPS to resolve this issue, and we’re constantly working to make sure that only eligible citizens are participating in our elections.”
Her office’s Division of Elections director did not immediately respond to emailed questions about why the names were removed. A DPS spokesman declined to comment.
South Dakota has about 682,000 registered voters, more than 617,000 of whom Johnson's office considers to be active.
It wasn't clear Wednesday whether the 273 people were told that their names were removed from the voter roll or whether they could face perjury charges for illegally registering.
