Dana Ferguson

dferguson@argusleader.com

In a last-ditch effort, a coalition of former Bernie Sanders supporters is working to get another presidential candidate on the South Dakota ballot.

Members of the group said Friday that Green Party candidate Jill Stein offers voters a strong alternative to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and could benefit Democratic candidates down-ticket who could otherwise lose due to low voter turnout.

The group needs to obtain at least 2,700 petition signatures before Tuesday to get Stein on the November ballot.

A spokesman for the South Dakota Democratic Party said Democrats would support Clinton come November, but Stein's supporters said voters should feel free to embrace the Green Party as South Dakota has historically voted Republican and will likely elect Donald Trump.

“Voting for a third party candidate is not a wasted vote,” Jay Pond, 57, said Thursday.

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The petition drive coordinator from Rapid City said much of the support to get Stein on the ballot came from disenfranchised Sanders supporters in the area. He said Stein's campaign would follow through on many of Sanders' campaign promises.

In the western half of the state, the prospect of a candidate similar to Sanders could resonate well, he said. Sanders lost to Clinton in the state's primary, but won nearly all districts west of the Missouri River.

The east side of the river might not be as easily convinced, but Dylan Workman, a 19 year old from Sioux Falls, said he's willing to make the effort.

The Democratic delegate for Bernie Sanders said upon his return Friday from Philadelphia he'd begin efforts to gather signatures for Stein. Workman said he hasn't made up his mind yet on whether he'll support Clinton or Stein, but thinks South Dakota voters, especially former Sanders backers, should have the choice.

"I believe that a democracy to be as effective as possible needs to have as many candidates as possible," Workman said. "And it's not like we're a battleground state, so we can afford another name on the ballot."

Workman said adding Stein to the ballot could benefit Democrats down the ticket as Stein supporters would likely also back Democrats.

For some Sanders supporters, the decision remains a challenge.

Kirk Danielson, 36, said he supported Sanders and would struggle with supporting Stein because she emerged as a candidate so recently.

"Why wasn't she running a campaign the past nine months?" Danielson said. "She came out of left field."

He said he's considered Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and doesn't think Clinton is trustworthy. Danielson said he's frustrated by his choices, as he dislikes Trump, and wishes Sanders wouldn't have thrown in the towel so he'd have an easier choice.

“It’s like not being able to ask the girl to prom that you really wanted to go with and having to ask someone else,” Danielson said. "I just wish it could be Bernie."

Aaron Matson, South Dakota Democratic Party spokesman, said he was confident that Democrats would back Clinton, especially since Sanders endorsed her this week.

"A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to advance our shared values of economic fairness and justice," Matson said. "A vote for Jill Stein is a vote for Donald Trump, and Senator Sanders' supporters recognize those are the stakes in this election."

Follow Dana Ferguson on Twitter @bydanaferguson, call (605) 370-2493 or email dferguson@argusleader.com

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