FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to  revise certain township election provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
     Section  1.  That § 8-1-23 be amended to read as follows:
     8-1-23.   Except as provided in §   8-1-28, whenever if fifteen percent of the registered voters of any civil township, based upon the total number of registered voters at the last preceding general election, petition the township clerk therefor, such , the clerk , at the direction of the board of supervisors, shall call an election . The election shall be called in the manner prescribed by law for holding special township meetings , at which election and the question shall be submitted, "Shall the civil township organization of _____ township be abolished?" "Yes." "No." Such The election shall be held within sixty days of the filing of the petition and in the manner and under the regulations provided by law for holding elections for the election of civil township officers. All voters at such election in favor of abolishing such township organization shall erase the word "No" from their ballots. All voters at such election who do not favor the abolishing of such township organization shall erase the word "Yes" from their ballots. The township clerk shall provide a sufficient number of printed or written ballots for the proper conduct of such the

election.
     Section  2.  That chapter 8-1 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:

     No petition to abolish a township may be filed within one year following an election on the question of abolishing the township.
     Section  3.  That § 8-3-7 be amended to read as follows:
     8-3-7.   No person may vote at any township meeting unless he the person is registered to vote pursuant to chapter 12-4 and resides in the township. For the purposes of this section, a person resides in the township if the person actually lives in the township for at least thirty consecutive days each year, is a full-time postsecondary education student who resided in the township immediately prior to leaving for the postsecondary education, or is on active duty as a member of the armed forces whose home of record is within the township. A voter's qualification as a resident may be challenged in the manner provided in §  12-18-10. No election may be contested on the grounds that any nonresident was allowed to vote if the nonresident was not challenged in the manner provided in §  12-18-10.
     Section  4.  That § 8-3-17.1 be amended to read as follows:
     8-3-17.1.   If nominating petitions are required pursuant to §   8-3-1.1, then any voter qualified to vote in a township candidate election may vote by absentee ballot as prescribed in chapter 12-19. Absentee voting shall be allowed for any township ballot question election and shall be conducted as prescribed in chapter 12-19.