Wednesday,  June 18, 2014 • Vol. 16--No. 334 • 16 of 31

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viously had 15 precincts where people could vote.
• The primary marked the county's first use of the new system. Naylor said the day went smoothly, with just a few hiccups. A few employees had to troubleshoot internet connectivity issues the day of the primary. And a few people went to their old, nonoperational precinct.
• These and other issues have given pause to the Minnehaha County Commission, which has so far resisted proposals to open vote centers for state and county elections. And yet the city of Sioux Falls and area schools have signed onto the voting center system.
• The differing policies mean someone might not be able to vote in the same location for two different elections.
• Chairman of the Minnehaha County Commission Cindy Heiberger said commissioners have a number of concerns they want addressed before they approve the change. She said rural locations don't have reliable internet connections and the size and number of precincts in the county mean there would be a number of different ballots for the vote centers to accommodate voters from the variety of precincts.
• "It's not that we don't want to do it," Heiberger said. "We're just not ready."
• Minnehaha County Auditor Bob Litz has promoted the upgrade and looked at federal grants to fund it.
• "Could it come from the state? Quite possibly," Litz said. "But I don't think it will happen. Not today."
• Gant said he wouldn't push for state funding of the centers, because he likes leaving it up to the counties to determine what they need.

South Dakota Gov. Daugaard declares emergency

• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- The severe flooding affecting southeast South Dakota led Gov. Dennis Daugaard to declare a state of emergency on Tuesday and open an operations center to coordinate the state's response to the areas affected by the aftermath of the torrential rains.
• Severe storms moved across parts of eastern South Dakota Monday closing roads, flooding streets, highways and fields, and increasing flows in the Big Sioux River.
• Daugaard on Tuesday met with emergency management officials in Elk Point and later toured flood-affected areas in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties.
• The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls said rainfall amounts Monday afternoon and overnight were greater than 2.5 inches in most areas, with some reaching more than 4 inches.

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