A South Dakota Senate panel has scrapped a bill that would have cut the time allowed for early voting in the state by two weeks.
The Senate State Affairs Committee voted 8-1 Wednesday against the bill.
The measure would have reduced the absentee voting window from 46 days to 32 days.
Secretary of State Steve Barnett and a series of county elections officials opposed the bill.
The National Conference of State Legislatures says the average beginning point for early voting is 22 days before an election.