STURGIS, S.D. – There is a special election in Meade County Tuesday, August 30 – with two issues on the ballot.
One issue concerns all Meade County citizens – the other, those who pay into the Rural Meade County Ambulance District.
The county-wide issue asks voters whether or not the county should issue more than one medical marijuana dispensary license.
The issue was sent to a vote after enough signatures were obtained to place the issue on the ballot.
A vote of yes Tuesday will change the current county ordinance that only allows one medical marijuana dispensary license. If voters approve the change, the county would need to make available up to three medical marijuana dispensary licenses, as well as up to three licenses for cultivation facilities, cannabis testing and product manufacturing facilities for a total of 12.
A vote of no will leave the county ordinance as is.
The county commission will be ready either way. It passed second reading of an update to their ordinance in late July.
Still, Rod Bradley, vice chair of the Meade County commission, said the current single license meets the needs of voters. Across the state, there are a total of about 2,500 medical cannabis patients.
The second issue on the special election ballot tomorrow has members of the Rural Meade County Ambulance District voting whether or not to allow a portion of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground into the district.
Landowners in that portion are asking to be included and the district needed to get a vote from its members to make it official.
The following link lists where county residents can vote: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55f1f6a6e4b0fdc2e7a036d1/t/62dae1bfcf5da578b9e902d6/1658511807347/NOTICE+OF+SPECIAL+ELECTION+Proposed+Revision+to+Ordinance+53.pdf
