Law Enforcement Center election Tuesday

The County Bond Election will be held on March 12, 2024 in Edmunds County. The election polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

At the election, the following question will be voted upon:

Shall Edmunds County, South Dakota, issue and sell its negotiable general obligation bonds in a principal amount not exceeding $7,400,000.00 issued in one or more series, bearing interest at such rates as may be determined by the County Commission, payable and maturing from one and not to exceed 25 years after the date of issuance, for the purpose of financing the new Edmunds County Law Enforcement Center which will include the Sheriff’s Office, dispatch, 40-bed jail and jail support, furnishing and equipping of the same, and the costs of issuing the bonds, and if so approved by the voters, the new facility will be constructed on the courthouse square.

Meetings were held in December 2023 in communities in the county. The Sheriff and County Commissioners spoke in support of the law enforcement project. The county jail was closed in November 22, 2022.

Sheriff Jonathan Waldner said Edmunds County would have the ability to house inmates from across the region, adding funds to the Sheriff’s budget. They would feed them with food from the Bowdle Meals on Wheels program according to Waldner.

The polling place in each precinct of the County is as follows:

Precinct #1 – The M Station - Mina (Townships: Belle, Clear Lake, Cortlandt, Pembrook, and Richland).

Precinct #2 – 4-H Building in Ipswich (City of Ipswich; less residents North of US Hwy 12 and East of 4th Street).

Precinct #3 – 4-H Building in Ipswich (Townships: Cleveland, Fountain, Harmony, Ipswich, Kent, Liberty, Powell, Rosette, Union, and the Northeast section of Ipswich City (North of US Hwy 12 and East of 4th Street)).

Precinct #4 – Roscoe Fire Hall (Townships: Adrian, Bryant, Glen, Glover, Huntley, Montpelier, North Bryant, Vermont and the City of Roscoe)

Precinct #5 – Bowdle Multi-Purpose Center (Townships: Bowdle, Cloyd Valley, Cottonwood Lake, Hillside, Hudson, Madison, Modena, Odessa and the City of Bowdle)

Precinct #6 – Hosmer Fire Hall (Townships: Hosmer, Sangamon and the City of Hosmer).

If the polls cannot be opened because of bad weather, the election may be postponed one week.