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Democrats Formally Approve Campaign To Refer Laws To Voters

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota Democratic Party has formally joined the fight to send two laws to the voters for their review.

The party’s central committee voted Saturday to push back against a proposal that carves out a $7.50 youth minimum wage and to fight against a bundle of election law changes.

The two laws were passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature last session. Democrats say the youth minimum wage is an affront to voters who overwhelmingly passed the $8.50 minimum wage in the 2014 election.

Republicans say the campaign for the wage hike focused on adult workers, not on young workers.

Activists must secure 13,871 signatures from registered voters for each referral and submit them to the secretary of state by June 29 to put the issues on the 2016 ballot.