Attending a Legislative Coffee or Cracker Barrel is a great way to get involved in your community and show South Dakota's lawmakers you're paying attention.

Please be aware that the organizations hosting these legislative coffees and cracker barrels are not affiliated in any way with the ACLU.

 

Mitchell Cracker Barrel
Friday, March 1, noon - 1 p.m. CT
Dakota Wesleyan University's School of Business, Innovation, and Leadership - 103 Lecture Hall (located on the SE side of campus)
The public will have an opportunity to submit questions in person or questions can be emailed to Alex Heidinger at alex@mitchellsd.com ahead of time. The session will be streamed via Facebook Live on the Mitchell Chamber & Development Corporation page.

Rapid City Legislative Cracker Barrel
Saturday, March 2, 9 a.m. MT 
Event Center at the Western Dakota Tech campus
800 Mickelson Dr.
Districts, TBA 

The organizations hosting these legislative coffees and cracker barrels are not affiliated in any way with the ACLU of South Dakota or the ACLU National Offices. 

Sample questions for your Legislative Coffee or Cracker Barrel

A.Sample questions for your Legislative Coffee or Cracker Barrel

A.

Anti-trans Legislation Related Questions

  • How do you define something as "lewd?"
  • How do you as an elected official plan to protect the well-being of your transgender constituents when they are targeted by anti-trans bills every single year?
  • How many transgender people, or families with transgender kids who are targeted by anti-trans bills have you spoken with?

Classroom Censorship Related Questions 

  • Do you believe the ability to discuss and debate ideas, even those that some may find uncomfortable, is a crucial part of our democracy?

Reproductive Freedom Related Questions 

  • We hear a lot about the need for personal freedom in South Dakota, but we continue to see bills which aim to severely restrict or entirely remove a pregnant person’s freedom to choose what their future and family looks like. How do you reconcile these two ideas?
  • Studies show that people who are denied an abortion are more likely to experience subsequent poverty, to have insufficient funds to pay for basic living expenses, to have poorer health, and are more likely to be in violent romantic relationships. With these stats in consideration, do you support anti-abortion efforts? 

Voting Rights Related Questions 

  • Do you think South Dakota voters should be able to have unencumbered access to the ballot box? Including, no excuse absentee voting?
  • Where do you stand on legislation like House Bill 1217 that make it harder for voters with caregiving duties or complicated work schedules to access the ballot box? 
  • Do you know how many rural voters cast an absentee ballot during the last election?