SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The coronavirus pandemic was the biggest story of the year, regionally and nationally.
Here’s the number five COVID-19 story of 2020 as selected by the KELO.com News Team: record number absentee voting.
There has never been an absentee voter turnout like this before for a primary or general election in South Dakota.
Secretary of State Steve Barnett encouraged absentee voting in the primary in June in order to avoid coronavirus infections.
And the people of South Dakota responded in record numbers for both elections.
66.7% of the registered voters in the state participated in the November general election and around half of the votes were absentee.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a record number of Minnesota and Iowa eligible voters to seek absentee ballots as well.
