Opinion: Dying woman’s vote for Hillary Clinton is for naught

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One of the primary season’s most publicized votes won’t count.

As Hillary Clinton basked in her West Virginia romp Tuesday night -- and sought to inspire her supporters not to lose heart despite the long odds against her in the Democratic presidential race -- she invoked, literally, the spirit of Florence Steen.

Clinton told her cheering crowd that the South Dakotan, ’88 years old and in failing health,’ had ‘asked that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice bedside. Florence was born before women had the right to vote, and she was determined to exercise that right, to cast a ballot for her candidate, who just happened to be a woman running for president.

‘Florence passed on a few days ago, but I am eternally grateful to her and her family for making this such an important and incredible milestone in her life that means so much to me.’

South Dakota’s Rapid City Journal had written a feature piece about Steen’s vote last weekend and in its Wednesday edition took note of Clinton’s mention of the woman in her speech.

On Wednesday, however, Chris Wilson posted an item on Slate.com pointing out that under South Dakota law, absentee ballots cast by voters who die before an election are not to be opened. Thus, Steen’s vote won’t get tallied for ...

... Clinton in the state’s June 3 primary.

The Rapid City Journal caught up with Clinton on Thursday as she campaigned in the city (the same day Steen was buried). And the candidate told the paper that she hoped her supporter’s vote still would prove meaningful.

Calling for a change in the state statute, Clinton said, ‘I think a legally cast vote ... should definitely be counted.’

The official who, as the Journal’s story put it, ‘found herself in the uncomfortable position of setting Steen’s ballot aside as invalid,’ agreed with Clinton.

But Pennington County Auditor Julie Pearson also said, ‘It’s not whether we agree or disagree with the law. It’s just what we have to do.’

-- Don Frederick