Once again, Bob Newland does a pretty good job of voting and civil disobedience:
As he did in 2016, Newland is happily daring Fall River County state’s attorney Jim Sword to haul him into court for violating South Dakota’s prohibition on publicizing one’s official ballot:
No person may publicize an official ballot after it is marked to any person in such a way as to reveal the contents of the official ballot, or the name of any candidate for whom the person has marked a vote. No person may solicit a voter to show the voter’s official ballot. Immediately after marking the official ballot the voter shall deposit the official ballot in the ballot box, if necessary, leaving the official stamp exposed [SDCL 12-18-27, last amended 2017].
In 2016, the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling overturning New Hampshire’s “ballot selfie” ban as a violation of free speech rights. A similar ban on ballot pics failed court scrutiny in Indiana.Montana’s Commissioner of Political Practices this summer advised Montanans that they can Tweet their ballots, absentee or Election Day, “to demonstrate their civic engagement or to encourage others to vote.” However, in 2017, a U.S. District Court judge upheld such a ban in New York, saying the state’s interest in preventing vote-buying and intimidation outweighs the voter’s First Amendment rights to show how they voted. Minus New York, a 2016 AP survey found seventeen states banning ballot selfies, nineteen states plus the District of Columbia explicitly permitting completed ballot pics, and thirteen states where the matter is either unclear or depends on where and when you take the photo: for instance, Iowa bans cameras from voting booths, but taking a photo of one’s absentee ballot at home, as Newland just did, is fine.
On the actual content of his publicized ballot, the longtime Libertarian shows that true conservatives can find plenty of common ground with Democrats. Newland votes for three of the four Libertarians on his ballot: George Hendrickson for U.S. House, Gideon Oakes for State Senate, and Uriah Luallin for Fall River County Commissioner. Alas, Newland couldn’t bring himself to support Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Kurt Evans (even though Kurt looks darned good in his Twitter banner photo from Dakotafest) Libertarian Newland here goes for Democrat Billie Sutton and backs him with Democrats in all six other statewide offices: Frederick, Frederick, Seiler, Cool, Matson, and Houser. He also picked Democrats Karen McGregor and Whitney Raver to replace District 30’s arch-conservative Republican incumbents Tim Goodwin and Julie Frye-Mueller in the State House. Thanks, Bob!
On ballot measures, Newland okays Amendment W (Newland needs no reminder of IM 22). Then he flipped the ballot and voted no on all four other ballot measures, all of which came from the Legislature directly or from Speaker G. Mark Mickelson and three of which (X, Z, and 24) are part of the Republican war on initiative and referendum.
I’m glad Newland shared his ballot, because he reminded me that Fall River County voters get one more initiative to vote on, a measure to require that the Fall River County Commission make audio and video recordings of their meetings available to the public. In August, two commissioners actually voted against putting the measure on the ballot, even though their own auditor told them the initiative petition had more than enough signatures to qualify. One of those democracy-balking commissioners, Joe Falkenburg, is up for reëlection; Newland did not vote for him… and I hope no one else in Fall River County does, either.
Even though my friend Newland admires Kurt Evans’ feat in pulling enough votes from John Thune in 2002 to prevent him from beating Tim Johnson, he tells me that he can’t abide Kurt Evans’ flakiness or his intractable opposition to women’s rights to control what goes on inside them.
As for Jim Sword, Newland said he noticed a Gideon Oakes banner–hanging on the Sword/Arendt law office–that blasts everyone in the face coming from the south on the only road leading into Hot Springs from Hwy 79. That, of course, doesn’t mean Sword can’t prosecute Newland for flaunting his lawlessness, but it may mean that Sword would be less intense about it than, say, Lance Russell.
No one cares how Bob votes. Why would you post this Cory other than to say that Democrats like to disobey laws?
We already knew that.
I care how Bob votes. On many issues he is a very intelligent indiviual and one can learn alot by listening to his views.
Thanks Bob. I saw this on FB too. Good choices except, Gideon Oakes? Isn’t he that weirdo? (If I have the wrong person in mind, I offer my instant apology.🙂)
No Ms. Debbo, the weirdo is the widdle Russian on the paytroll. Sorry, had to clear that up.
Thanks, Jerry.
Debbo, Gideon is a fun, funny guy who owns a restaurant in Keystone. This is his first run for office that I’m aware of, but he’s up against Lance Russell, an incumbent who has shown us repeatedly that he’s a snake-handler mean weirdo.
Newland gave me permission to answer for him.
Why, Jason, would you mention Democrats in your post, when all Libertarian Newland is doing is civil disobedience in the face of one of the most unjust laws never enforced? Incidentally, I agree that Newland’s ego carried him beyond the call of duty.
Re: Debbo – My weirdness runs deep, but I have a feeling you’re thinking of someone else. :-)
Re: Grudge – Thanks for thinking I’m funny. If you could help convince my wife of that, I’d be grateful! Oh yeah, and I did serve two elected terms on the Keystone Town Board, as well as a stint on the Keystone Fire Protection District. But you’re right that it’s my first run for legislature. Often considered it, but didn’t pull the trigger until the stars aligned.
Mr. Oakes, I take great pride in being considered weird in some instances, but I do believe I was wrong about you. Please accept my sincere apology.
Accepted, of course!
When I meet your wife, I believe that she will believe that,next to me, you are truly funny.
When I meet your wife, I believe that she will believe that, next to me, you are truly funny.
Jason, Newland is not a Democrat.
Someone else on FB cried something similar to Jason’s “No one cares how Bob votes.” If that’s true, then why does anyone care how Jason or I vote? Why bother joining the conversation if you don’t really care, and why presume that anyone cares what you think?
Civic discourse is all about sharing, comparing, and respectfully debating opinions, even as we recognize everyone’s right to have and express those opinions.
Cory,
Your promotion of law breaking is why I posted.
I know, Jason. You’re not interested in the topic, the ballot, civic discourse, of the First Amendment. You’re just interested in attacking me. How narrow and boring your interests are.
Bob Newland is not a Democrat. No Democrat in this discussion broke a law. I could talk about all the Republicans who poo-poo the far more serious and costly lawbreaking that happened in the GEAR UP and EB-5 scandals, but that would get us off-topic… unless, of course, Bob Newland steps in and explains that his votes had much to do with the Republican disregard for the rule of law.
I understand that Bob is not a Democrat.
The topic is you are promoting law breaking by posting his ballot.
Law breaking=Lance Russell. There ya go, fixed it for ya widdle Russian.
Rhoden = Convicted law breaker. I can keep going widdle Russian but my fingers tire.
Jason’s friends tell me he’s never even changed lanes without signaling. When his mother removed the tags from a mattress, Jason called Marty Jackley and turned her in.
A certain troll or two habitually violate Cory’s blog rules with reckless abandon.
I have analyzed the laws and my good friend Bob did not break the laws again. He should not be put back in jail. grudznick has ruled.
I must say, after watching SDPB’s “forum” or “debate” between Randy Seiler and Jason Ravnsborg, that I couldn’t have scripted a better hour if my job had been to demonstrate there is no difference between these two guys.