Public Safety · Sioux Falls, SD
Sen. Mike Rounds’ office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was evacuated after receiving a letter believed to contain a suspicious substance. The incident prompted immediate investigation by the Sioux Falls Police Department following protocols advised by U.S. Capitol Police. This event is part of a broader national trend where at least 36 lawmakers and election offices in 10 states have received similar suspicious mail containing white powder.
Local Politics
County auditors across South Dakota conducted their first of two tests on election tabulation machines ahead of the November 3 general election, which includes races for Governor, Congressional, Senate and House seats plus several constitutional amendments. Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson said her office hand-marks test ballots, manually counts them, and compares results to machine output to verify programming accuracy. Anderson said testing continues until the morning of Election Day. A second public test will be held Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., open to the public in all 66 counties. Election worker training begins this week.
