FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | OCTOBER 20, 2026
With the Nov. 3 election just days before Auditor Sabrina Green’s planned resignation, Mulally calls for clarity on interim leadership, election responsibilities and an orderly transition.
RAPID CITY, S.D. — With the Nov. 3 general election approaching and Pennington County Auditor Sabrina Green scheduled to resign Nov. 6, Auditor-elect and District 35 state Rep. Tina Mulally is calling on county leadership to explain who will be responsible for completing post-election duties and how the county intends to manage the transition.
The timing creates an immediate need for coordination. Green is expected to oversee the election, but canvassing, certification, post-election audits, recounts and other legally authorized proceedings could extend beyond her departure.
Mulally is seeking a clear explanation of who will exercise the auditor’s statutory authority after Nov. 6, how election records will be transferred and what arrangements have been made with the South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office to ensure continuity.
The succession question carries an additional complication. Mulally remains a sitting state representative amid calls for a special legislative session addressing economic pressures facing South Dakota residents.
The South Dakota Farmers Union requested a special session on Oct. 8 to address fuel costs. The Legislature’s Joint Democratic Caucus made a separate request Oct. 12 concerning a temporary diesel-fuel tax holiday.
Although no special session has been confirmed, the requests underscore the importance of resolving how Mulally’s existing legislative obligations will be fulfilled during the transition.
Mulally has sought legal counsel concerning constitutional and statutory restrictions on holding public office while serving in the South Dakota Legislature. Article III, Section 12 of the South Dakota Constitution addresses restrictions on certain civil-office appointments and elections during a legislator’s term. Mulally believes she has an obligation to fulfill the oath she took to represent District 35 through the conclusion of her legislative service and has sought guidance on how to honor that responsibility while preparing to become county auditor.
Based on the guidance she has received, Mulally has identified the appointment of an interim auditor by the County Commission as a possible means of maintaining uninterrupted county operations during the transition. That approach would allow the county to address Green’s departure while the legal requirements governing Mulally’s assumption of office are resolved.
Mulally intends to assume the responsibilities of county auditor as required by law and is requesting the training, access and coordination necessary to ensure she is prepared. Her position is that the county’s immediate operational needs and her obligations to District 35 must both be addressed through a lawful, documented transition.
The planned resignation was publicly reported by the Rapid City Journal on Oct. 1 and KOTA Radio on Oct. 2, before the County Commission’s Oct. 6 regular meeting.
KOTA reported that county officials intended to ensure a smooth transition and maintain election preparations, with an interim auditor expected to serve until the incoming auditor assumes office.
Mulally is asking the county to explain what steps have been taken to implement that plan, who is responsible for coordinating it and when the incoming administration will receive the information necessary to prepare.
Mulally has pursued official written correspondence with the County Commission, county administration, the Information Technology Department, the Pennington County State’s Attorney and the Secretary of State’s Office concerning election responsibilities, training, staffing, legal requirements and the transfer of essential records.
On Monday, Oct. 19, Mulally appeared at county offices for a previously arranged in-person meeting with Human Resources officials. The anticipated meeting did not take place, leaving several transition matters unresolved. Mulally is awaiting further communication from county officials regarding a substantive briefing and a timetable for addressing those responsibilities.
“The County has said publicly that it wants a smooth transition, and I couldn’t agree more,” Mulally said. “Being prepared means being trained on the systems before the office changes hands.”
The need for coordination extends beyond election administration. The Auditor’s Office performs important county financial and administrative functions, including accounting records, required reporting, official records and election-related obligations. Mulally is seeking information about outstanding financial reconciliations, audits, statutory filings, staffing arrangements, records preservation and access to the technology systems used to administer those responsibilities.
An orderly transition will require identifying which responsibilities must be completed before Green’s departure, which will fall to an interim auditor and which will eventually pass to Mulally. She has requested that county officials designate a transition coordinator, establish a schedule for systems training and clarify how outstanding responsibilities will be documented and transferred.
Those questions are especially important because the general election falls just three days before Green’s planned resignation. Election certification, post-election reviews and other legally required procedures could remain unfinished when the office changes hands. Mulally is seeking assurances that responsibility for those duties will be clearly assigned and that the necessary records and institutional knowledge will remain available.
“The election belongs to the people of Pennington County, and they deserve to know that every responsibility will be fulfilled, regardless of who is serving as auditor,” Mulally said. “I also have an obligation to the people of District 35. I’m asking county officials to work with me on a lawful transition that honors both responsibilities.”
That obligation to District 35 is central to the succession question. Mulally believes she should fulfill her existing legislative oath through the conclusion of her term, while ensuring Pennington County is prepared for the eventual transfer of the Auditor’s Office. She has sought legal guidance regarding the restrictions on holding public office and has identified an interim appointment by the County Commission as a possible means of maintaining continuity.
Mulally has emphasized that her objective is cooperation with county leadership, not a dispute over the outgoing administration. She recognizes the institutional knowledge and experience accumulated during Green’s tenure and believes preserving that knowledge is an important part of preparing the incoming administration.
“I want to thank Sabrina Green for her years of service to Pennington County and wish her and her family the very best,” Mulally said.
A successful transition, Mulally believes, should build on the work already underway while providing an opportunity to evaluate existing procedures and identify areas for improvement.
That review would encompass election administration, financial processes, records management, staffing and the technology used to carry out the office’s statutory functions. Mulally intends to work with the County Commission and appropriate county and state officials to assess operational needs, identify opportunities for administrative efficiency and develop a practical modernization plan.
“This is a chance to build up the Auditor’s Office and modernize how it works, together with the Commission,” Mulally said. “I’m looking forward to collaborating on a plan that strengthens the office, improves service, and respects taxpayers.”
Modernization, however, begins with a complete understanding of the office’s existing responsibilities. Mulally is seeking a clear accounting of outstanding financial work, statutory reporting obligations, system access requirements and staffing needs before developing longer-term changes.
She also wants the county to establish accountability for responsibilities that cross the transition period. That includes documenting work completed by the outgoing administration, identifying obligations assigned to interim leadership and ensuring the incoming administration receives the records, training and information necessary to continue operations without unnecessary disruption.
For taxpayers, those preparations are not simply administrative details. Incomplete records, missed statutory deadlines or interruptions in essential county services can create additional work, expenses and uncertainty. Mulally believes establishing clear responsibilities before the transition is an important safeguard against avoidable costs.
“Taxpayers shouldn’t bear the cost of any gaps in this transition,” Mulally said. “That starts with being ready on day one.”
Mulally is requesting that county leadership identify who will oversee election-related duties after Nov. 6, clarify the lawful succession process, designate a point of contact for transition planning and establish a schedule for training and operational preparations.
She remains willing to meet with county and state officials to resolve those questions and work toward a transition that maintains election continuity, protects county financial accountability and respects her continuing obligations to District 35.
About Tina Mulally
Tina Mulally currently represents District 35 in the South Dakota House of Representatives and is the Republican auditor-elect for Pennington County following the June 2, 2026 Republican primary. She is the sole listed candidate for county auditor in the Nov. 3 general election.