Sioux City Journal

Large absentee vote expected on refinery issue

By Dave Dreeszen Journal business editor | Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2008

ELK POINT, S.D. -- Early voting on the proposed Hyperion Energy Center is off to a brisk pace.

As of Monday night, 286 voters had requested absentee ballots for the June 3 referendum, far more than at this stage in recent elections, said Union County Auditor Carol Klumper.

"We have had an increase in absentees -- a big one," Klumper said.

The majority of the requests have come from the Dakota Dunes area, where a pro-Hyperion group has been conducting a heavy get-out-the-vote drive. J.B. Mercer, chairman of Citizens for Hyperion, said Tuesday the group also plans to promote absentee ballots in other parts of the county.

An anti-Hyperion group, Citizens Opposed to Oil Pollution, is "encouraging people to vote absentee on this matter if there is any chance they will not be able to vote on June 3rd," the group's leader, Jason Quam, said Tuesday.

Voters will decide whether to uphold or reject the county board of commissioners' decision to rezone 3,292 acres of farmland to permit the $10 billion energy center, which would be built north of Elk Point.

To save costs, the commission attached the Hyperion ballot question to the state primary election, which will pick nominees for Republican and Democratic offices. County voters registered as independents do not have to change their affiliation to vote on the Hyperion question, Klumper said.

Prior to setting the election date, the county had about 9,500 registered voters. Klumper said that number has been ticking up, driven not only by the Hyperion referendum, but also the tight Democratic presidential contest between U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

The deadline for registering to vote in the June 3 election is May 19. Requests for absentee ballots will be processed through the day of the vote. On election day, ballots must be handed in at the polls no later than 3 p.m.

Story Comments

Hyperion Sneaks On wrote on May 5, 2008 11:10 PM:

" Hyperion...here's your chance to be a "good neighbor"! The majority of people in the Dunes/N. Sioux areas support your initiative. Please "pack it up" & move to their "backyard" instead where you're wanted.

Interesting how so many in that area don't want a bike path nor an RV park because of the "trash" & traiffic it will bring to their backyards, but feel that the "trash" & "traffic" to rural Elk Point is a good thing. Please do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

Please help us protect what we have today and Vote No! I'm certain you wouldn't want to have your "life" pulled out from underneath you like Hyperion's doing to "us". They've lied from the beginning - please don't put your trust in Hyperion. You will regret it.

"

Thorgood wrote on May 2, 2008 12:38 PM:

" With as cozy as JB is to Hyperion, I'm surprised he hasn't asked them to move closer to him -- fine by me, as if he needs a little more smoke up his . . . "

june wrote on Apr 30, 2008 10:15 PM:

" I wonder If the people from Dakota Dunes would support the Project if it was being built lets say at the old dog tracks site I am sure old J D would love it there, and there would be all kinds of support from the community. "

Dan wrote on Apr 30, 2008 10:06 PM:

" I hope the county election is better than a Elk Point city election is, the saying in Elk Point is vote early and vote often and just because your dead doesn't mean you can' vote. And grab some absentee ballots get to the nursing home and fill them out. "

Joe wrote on Apr 30, 2008 4:48 PM:

" Outsiders applying peer pressure is one thing, but people living in the Dunes for a while should remember raw human sewage that had been dumped into the Big Sioux washing up. Now you're asking them to vote to increase their own tax burden while putting property values at risk. If this Hyperion zoning passes Hyperion (or whoever they sell out to or builds anything in the zoned area) will be able to discharge amounts not allowed into the Missouri directly (Fed nav river has tighter limits and Corp controlled) into the Brule and into the Sioux on a regular basis (not to mention accidents) with no way for the county to stop or fine them. What happens to property values next to an open industrial sewage ditch, even if its only once or twice a year? The Dunes has a lot at risk and there are no safeguards in place. Like Coffeyville Kansas, Dakota Dunes is right in the flow path. Please look at a watershed and elevation map before you vote. Even if you want a refinery there is no reason to give Hyperion a blank check on your future. "