Vote to Legalize Alcohol on Pine Ridge Passes

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Native Americans on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation have voted to end prohibition and legalize alcohol so the tribe can use the profits for education and treatment.

A majority of voters on Tuesday approved the measure, but the outcome was left hanging because of 438 challenged ballots that were more than the difference between the yes and no votes.

Election commission chairman Francis Pumpkin Seed says workers on Wednesday checked each of those ballots to confirm they were cast by registered voters living on the reservation.

He says after that process was complete, the result was 1,871 for legalization and 1,679 against.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.