South Dakota Governor Signs Bill Banning Outside Funding for Elections, Citing Mark Zuckerberg’s Spree

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem signs a bill into law banning outside spending on elections, in Pierre, S.D., on March 16, 2022. Courtesy of the Office of the South Dakota Governor

South Dakota’s governor on March 16 signed legislation into law that bans government entities from accepting outside funding to run elections.

Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, said the bill was necessary because of how Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife donated some $350 million ahead of the 2020 election to various organizations, which funneled the money to state and local officials to run the election in certain ways.