South Dakota bill would withhold voter information

The dead hand of practical obscurity has surfaced in a new South Dakota bill that seeks to remove birth dates from voter registration lists.

The measure was proposed by the State Board of Elections in an effort to deter identity theft, according to a piece in the (Sioux Falls) Argus Leader.

South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson told the Argus Leader that while birth dates would no longer appear on the master list, the information would still be available on voter registration cards at county auditor offices.