ARSD 05:02:08:00.05 – Methodology for conducting the random sample for a statewide candidate, initiative petition, referred law petition, or initiated constitutional amendment petition.

Upon receiving any statewide candidate petition, initiative petition, referred law petition, or initiated constitutional amendment petition, the secretary of state shall use the following method for conducting the random sample:

(1) Each sheet within the petition shall be consecutively numbered;
(2) A spreadsheet consisting of rows and columns shall be created listing each petition sheet number in a column and the number of eligible signatures, as defined in subsection 4(d), in a separate column;
(3) The Office of Secretary State must use the tables in subdivision (8) which identifies how many signatures shall be randomly sampled to meet the statutory requirement based on the number of petition signatures submitted. Microsoft Excel functions, or a similar program as determined by the secretary of state, shall be used to randomly select the signatures for validation;
(4) Each signature in the random sample shall be evaluated as to whether the signature is valid or invalid pursuant to §§ 5:02:08:00 and 5:02:08:00.01, and in accordance with:
1. (a) No signature line may be counted unless the person is a registered voter in the county indicated in the signature line;
2. (b) When validating a statewide partisan candidate petition, the party affiliation is also validated for each randomly selected eligible signature;
3. (c) A signature line consists of two rows containing six fields each, signature line is separately numbered as per § 5:02:08:00.03;
4. (d) An eligible signature is a signature line that is filled in partially or completely. If a signature line is empty or crossed out, said signature line is not included as an eligible signature. A signature line containing an abstract mark or markings shall be counted as an eligible signature; and
5. (e) A random sample signatures are those eligible signatures contained in the random sample generated by the program designated in subdivision (3). The total number of valid signatures submitted is extrapolated from the random sample;
(5) The total number of valid signatures is determined by:
1. (a) Subtracting the number of invalid random sample signatures from the total number of random sample signatures;
2. (b) Next, determine the percentage of valid signatures in the random sample signatures by dividing the number of valid signatures by the total number of random sample signatures;
3. (c) The resulting percentage is multiplied by the total number of eligible signatures submitted; and
4. (d) The resulting number is the number of valid signatures the secretary of state uses to determine how the petition is certified;
(6) If the number of valid signatures as determined in subdivision (5) is equal to or greater than the required number of signatures needed to file the petition, the secretary of state shall certify the petition as filed;
(7) If the number of valid signatures as determined in subdivision (5) is less than the required number of signatures needed to file the petition, the secretary of state shall certify the petition as not filed; and
(8) The table below identifies how many signatures shall be randomly sampled to meet the state requirements:
1. (a) If the sample size number is less than the safe harbor sample size number the Secretary of State shall use the safe harbor sample size number; and
2. (b) If the number of submitted signatures is between two numbers listed in the signatures submitted column, the Secretary of State shall round down to the lower number if the number is 500 or less and shall round up if the number is 501 and higher.
  Statewide Ballot Question Table
  Sample Size
  Signatures
  Submitted
  "Safe Harbor"
  Sample Size
  Sample size %
  of total
  694
  13,871
  699
  5.0032%
  699
  15,000
  701
  4.6600%
  701
  16,000
  703
  4.3813%
  703
  17,000
  704
  4.1353%
  704
  18,000
  706
  3.9111%
  706
  19,000
  707
  3.7158%
  707
  20,000
  708
  3.5350%
  708
  21,000
  709
  3.3714%
  709
  22,000
  710
  3.2227%
  710
  23,000
  711
  3.0870%
  711
  24,000
  712
  2.9625%
  712
  25,000
  713
  2.8480%
  713
  26,000
  714
  2.7423%
  714
  27,000
  714
  2.6444%
  714
  28,000
  715
  2.5500%
  715
  29,000
  715
  2.4655%
  715
  30,000
  716
  2.3833%
  716
  31,000
  716
  2.3097%
  716
  32,000
  717
  2.2375%
  717
  33,000
  717
  2.1727%
  717
  34,000
  718
  2.1088%
  718
  35,000
  718
  2.0514%
  718
  36,000
  719
  1.9944%
  719
  37,000
  719
  1.9432%
  719
  38,000
  719
  1.8921%
  719
  39,000
  720
  1.8436%
  720
  40,000
  720
  1.8000%
  720
  41,000
  720
  1.7561%
  720
  42,000
  721
  1.7143%
  721
  43,000
  721
  1.6767%
  721
  44,000
  721
  1.6386%
  721
  45,000
  721
  1.6022%
  721
  46,000
  722
  1.5674%
  722
  47,000
  722
  1.5362%
  722
  48,000
  722
  1.5042%
  722
  49,000
  722
  1.4735%
  722
  50,000
  723
  1.4440%
  723
  51,000
  723
  1.4176%
  723
  52,000
  723
  1.3904%
  723
  53,000
  723
  1.3642%
  723
  54,000
  723
  1.3389%
  723
  55,000
  723
  1.3145%
  723
  56,000
  724
  1.2911%
  724
  57,000
  724
  1.2702%
  724
  58,000
  724
  1.2483%
  724
  59,000
  724
  1.2271%
  724
  60,000
  724
  1.2067%
  724
  61,000
  724
  1.1869%
  724
  62,000
  724
  1.1677%
  724
  63,000
  725
  1.1492%
  725
  64,000
  725
  1.1328%
  725
  65,000
  725
  1.1154%
  725
  66,000
  725
  1.0985%
  725
  67,000
  725
  1.0821%
  725
  68,000
  725
  1.0662%
  725
  69,000
  725
  1.0507%
  725
  70,000
  725
  1.0357%
  725
  71,000
  726
  1.0211%
  726
  72,000
  726
  1.0083%
  726
  73,000
  726
  0.9945%
  726
  74,000
  726
  0.9811%
  726
  75,000
  726
  0.9680%
  726
  76,000
  726
  0.9553%
  726
  77,000
  726
  0.9429%
  726
  78,000
  726
  0.9308%
  726
  79,000
  726
  0.9190%
  726
  80,000
  726
  0.9075%
  726
  81,000
  726
  0.8963%
  726
  82,000
  726
  0.8854%
  726
  83,000
  727
  0.8747%
  727
  84,000
  727
  0.8655%
  727
  85,000
  727
  0.8553%
  Statewide Candidate Table
  Sample Size
  Signatures
  Submitted
  "Safe Harbor"
  Sample Size
  Sample size %
  of total
  187
  250
  213
  74.8000%
  213
  300
  259
  71.0000%
  259
  400
  297
  64.7500%
  297
  500
  330
  59.4000%
  330
  600
  358
  55.0000%
  358
  700
  383
  51.1429%
  383
  800
  404
  47.8750%
  404
  900
  423
  44.8889%
  423
  1,000
  440
  42.3000%
  440
  1,100
  455
  40.0000%
  455
  1,200
  469
  37.9167%
  469
  1,300
  481
  36.0769%
  481
  1,400
  493
  34.3571%
  493
  1,500
  503
  32.8667%
  503
  1,600
  512
  31.4375%
  512
  1,700
  521
  30.1176%
  521
  1,800
  529
  28.9444%
  529
  1,900
  537
  27.8421%
  537
  2,000
  543
  26.8500%
  543
  2,100
  550
  25.8571%
  550
  2,200
  556
  25.0000%
  556
  2,300
  562
  24.1739%
  562
  2,400
  567
  23.4167%
  567
  2,500
  572
  22.6800%
  572
  2,600
  577
  22.0000%
  577
  2,700
  581
  21.3704%
  581
  2,800
  585
  20.7500%
  585
  2,900
  589
  20.1724%
  589
  3,000
  593
  19.6333%
  593
  3,100
  596
  19.1290%
  596
  3,200
  600
  18.6250%
  600
  3,300
  603
  18.1818%
  603
  3,400
  606
  17.7353%
  606
  3,500
  609
  17.3143%
  609
  3,600
  612
  16.9167%
  612
  3,700
  615
  16.5405%
  615
  3,800
  617
  16.1842%
  617
  3,900
  620
  15.8205%
  620
  4,000
  622
  15.5000%
  622
  4,100
  624
  15.1707%
  624
  4,200
  626
  14.8571%
  626
  4,300
  628
  14.5581%
  628
  4,400
  630
  14.2727%
  630
  4,5000
  632
  14.0000%
  632
  4,600
  634
  13.7391%
  634
  4,700
  636
  13.4894%
  636
  4,800
  638
  13.2500%
  638
  4,900
  639
  13.0204%
  639
  5,000
  641
  12.7800%
  641
  5,100
  642
  12.5686%
  642
  5,200
  644
  12.3462%
  644
  5,300
  645
  12.1509%
  645
  5,400
  647
  11.9444%
  647
  5,500
  648
  11.7636%
  648
  5,600
  649
  11.5714%
  649
  5,700
  651
  11.3860%
  651
  5,800
  652
  11.2241%
  652
  5,900
  653
  11.0508%
  653
  6,000
  654
  10.8833%
  654
  6,100
  656
  10.7213%
  656
  6,200
  657
  10.5806%
  657
  6,300
  658
  10.4286%
  658
  6,400
  659
  10.2813%
  659
  6,500
  660
  10.1385%
  660
  6,600
  661
  10.0000%
  661
  6,700
  662
  9.8657%
  662
  6,800
  663
  9.7353%
  663
  6,900
  664
  9.6087%
  664
  7,000
  664
  9.4857%
  664
  7,100
  665
  9.3521%
  665
  7,200
  666
  9.2361%
  666
  7,300
  667
  9.1233%
  667
  7,400
  668
  9.0135%
  668
  7,500
  669
  8.9067%
  669
  7,600
  669
  8.8026%
  669
  7,700
  670
  8.6883%
  670
  7,800
  671
  8.5897%
  671
  7,900
  671
  8.4937%
  671
  8,000
  672
  8.3875%
  672
  8,100
  673
  8.2963%
  673
  8,200
  673
  8.2073%
  673
  8,300
  674
  8.1084%
  674
  8,400
  675
  8.0238%
  675
  8,500
  675
  7.9412%
  675
  8,600
  676
  7.8488%
  676
  8,700
  677
  7.7701%
  677
  8,800
  677
  7.6932%
  677
  8,900
  678
  7.6067%
  678
  9,000
  678
  7.5333%
  678
  9,100
  679
  7.4505%
  679
  9,200
  679
  7.3804%
  679
  9,300
  680
  7.3011%
  680
  9,400
  680
  7.2340%
  680
  9,500
  681
  7.1579%
  681
  9,600
  681
  7.0938%
  681
  9,700
  682
  7.0206%
  682
  9,800
  682
  6.9592%
  682
  9,900
  683
  6.8889%
  683
  10,000
  683
  6.8300%
  683
  10,100
  684
  6.7624%
  684
  10,200
  684
  6.7059%
  684
  10,300
  685
  6.6408%
  685
  10,400
  685
  6.5865%
  685
  10,500
  686
  6.5238%
  686
  10,600
  686
  6.4717%
  686
  10,700
  686
  6.4112%
  686
  10,800
  687
  6.3519%
  687
  10,900
  687
  6.3028%
  687
  11,000
  688
  6.2455%
  688
  11,100
  688
  6.1982%
  688
  11,200
  688
  6.1429%
  688
  11,300
  689
  6.0885%
  689
  11,400
  689
  6.0439%
  689
  11,500
  689
  5.9913%
  689
  11,600
  690
  5.9397%
  690
  11,700
  690
  5,8974%
  690
  11,800
  690
  5.8475%
  690
  11,900
  691
  5.7983%
  691
  12,000
  691
  5.7583%
  691
  12,100
  691
  5.7107%
  691
  12,200
  692
  5.6639%
  692
  12,300
  692
  5.6260%
  692
  12,400
  692
  5.5806%
  692
  12,500
  693
  5.5360%
  693
  12,600
  693
  5.5000%
  693
  12,700
  693
  5.4567%
  693
  12,800
  694
  5.4141%
  694
  12,900
  694
  5.3798%
  694
  13,000
  694
  5.3385%
  694
  13,100
  694
  5.2977%
  694
  13,200
  695
  5.2576%
  695
  13,300
  695
  5.2256%
  695
  13,400
  695
  5.1866%
  695
  13,500
  695
  5.1481%
  695
  13,600
  696
  5.1103%
  696
  13,700
  696
  5.0803%
  696
  13,800
  696
  5.0435%
  696
  13,900
  696
  5.0072%
  696
  14,000
  697
  4.9714%
  697
  14,100
  697
  4.9433%
  697
  14,200
  697
  4.9085%
  697
  14,300
  697
  4.8741%
  697
  14,400
  698
  4.8403%
  698
  14,500
  698
  4.8138%
  698
  14,600
  698
  4.7808%
  698
  14,700
  698
  4.7483%
  698
  14,800
  699
  4.7162%
  699
  14,900
  699
  4.6913%
  699
  15,000
  699
  4.6600%
  699
  15,100
  699
  4.6291%
  699
  15,200
  699
  4.5987%
  699
  15,300
  700
  4.5686%
  700
  15,400
  700
  4.5455%
  700
  15,500
  700
  4.5161%
  700
  15,600
  700
  4.4872%
  700
  15,700
  700
  4.4586%
  700
  15,800
  701
  4.4304%
  701
  15,900
  701
  4.4088%
  701
  16,000
  701
  4.3813%
  701
  16,100
  701
  4.3540%
  701
  16,200
  701
  4.3272%
  701
  16,300
  702
  4.3006%
  702
  16,400
  702
  4.2805%
  702
  16,500
  702
  4.2545%
  702
  16,600
  702
  4.2289%
  702
  16,700
  702
  4.2036%
  702
  16,800
  702
  4.1786%
  702
  16,900
  703
  4.1538%
  703
  17,000
  703
  4.1353%
  703
  17,100
  703
  4.1111%
  703
  17,200
  703
  4.0872%
  703
  17,300
  703
  4.0636%
  703
  17,400
  703
  4.0402%
  703
  17,500
  704
  4.0171%
  704
  17,600
  704
  4.0000%
  704
  17,700
  704
  3.9774%
  704
  17,800
  704
  3.9551%
  704
  17,900
  704
  3.9330%
  704
  18,000
  704
  3.9111%
  704
  18,100
  705
  3.8895%
  705
  18,200
  705
  3.8736%
  705
  18,300
  705
  3.8525%
  705
  18,400
  705
  3.8315%
  705
  18,500
  705
  3.8108%
  705
  18,600
  705
  3.7903%
  705
  18,700
  705
  3.7701%
  705
  18,800
  706
  3.7500%
  706
  18,900
  706
  3.7354%
  706
  19,000
  706
  3.7158%
  706
  19,100
  706
  3.6963%
  706
  19,200
  706
  3.6771%
  706
  19,300
  706
  3.6580%
  706
  19,400
  706
  3.6392%
  706
  19,500
  707
  3.6205%
  707
  19,600
  707
  3.6071%
  707
  19,700
  707
  3.5888%
  707
  19,800
  707
  3.5707%
  707
  19,900
  707
  3.5528%
  707
  20,000
  707
  3.5350%
  Reference: Northern State University Assistant Professor of Accounting, Economics, Banking and Financial Services and Business Law, Sara Schmidt provided the methodology and the signature tables.

Source: 33 SDR 230, effective July 1, 2007 ; 42 SDR 178, effective July 1, 2016; 44 SDR 17, effective August 8, 2017 ; 45 SDR 9, effective July 30, 2018.

General Authority: SDCL 2-1-16 .

Law Implemented: SDCL 2-1-16 , 12-1-35 , 12-1-36 .

Prior versions effective: 2017-08-08, 2016-07-01, 2007-07-01.