All votes must be taken orally or by roll call. A vote may not be taken by secret ballot. If any member of the council requests a roll call vote, a roll call vote must be taken. All votes must be entered in the minutes of the council’s proceedings. The majority vote of all the aldermen is necessary to pass an ordinance or proposal that expends or appropriates money. The mayor may not break a tie on an ordinance or proposal to expend or appropriate money. The mayor may break a tie on all other ordinances or proposals. A two-thirds vote of the aldermen is required to sell any city property.

Source: SL 1890, ch 37 , art IV, § 12; RPolC 1903, § 1209; RC 1919, § 6215; SDC 1939, § 45.0707; SL 1992, ch 60 , § 2; SL 2017, ch 56 , § 9; SL 2025, ch 38 , § 25.