South Dakota Cited in Federal Election Complaint

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — An organization that asked state officials in South Dakota to approve satellite absentee voting offices on three American Indian reservations has now filed a complaint with the federal Justice Department's civil rights division.

The Argus Leader reports (http://argusne.ws/174cGrj ) that Four Directions filed the complaint after Secretary of State Jason Gant and the Board of Elections declined to establish early voting offices in Fort Thompson, Eagle Butte and Wanblee.

The advocacy group for Native American voting rights contends residents in the predominantly Native American communities don't have an equal opportunity to vote or register to vote when compared to residents in other parts of the state.

Gant says he's trying to get clarification on whether the state can use federal money to set up the satellite voting offices.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.