Voter Registration
Registration Deadline: Your Voter Registration form with an original signature must be received by the auditor 15 days before any election if you wish to vote in that election.
South Dakota law does not allow you to submit your voter registration form via fax or email.
Party Affiliation: In a Primary election, a voter is given only the ballot for the party which the voter is registered in, except for voters registered as an Independent or No Party Affiliation (NPA). The South Dakota Democratic Primary is open to registered Democrats and Independents/No Party Affiliation voters, but not Republicans. The South Dakota Libertarian Primary is closed to only registered Libertarians. The South Dakota Republican Primary is closed to only registered Republicans.
If you decide to change your party affiliation, you must update your voter registration by completing a voter registration form, then mail or return to your County Auditor.
Voter Registration Qualifications
Age: At least 18 years old on or before the day of the election
Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen
Residency: Must be a resident of South Dakota (residency qualifications for registering to vote)
Mental Competency: Must not be judged mentally incompetent by a court of law
Felony Convictions: Not currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction which included imprisonment, served or suspended, in an adult penitentiary system. For more information click here
ID Requirements: South Dakota Driver license number or last 4 digits of Social Security number required.
Obtaining a Voter Registration Form
In person: You may register at the following locations:
- Driver's license station (when you are renewing or applying for a driver's license you may also register to vote on the driver's license application)
- City Finance Office
- Public assistance agencies providing food stamps, TANF or WIC
- Department of Human Services offices which provide assistance to the disabled
- Military recruitment offices
By mail/ in writing: Mail a printable form to your county auditor's office.
South Dakota law does not allow you to submit your voter registration form via fax or email.
Verifying Your Voter Registration Status
Online: Voter Registration Verification
Phone: Call the Secretary of State or your local County Auditor.
Obtaining an Absentee Ballot
In person: Obtain an absentee ballot application form online or at your county election official's office and return it to your county election official's office.
By mail: You may download and print an absentee ballot application and send it to your County Election Official.
Email/Fax: Only voters covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act can submit their application for absentee ballot via fax or email.
The County Election Official must receive your application for an absentee ballot no later than 5pm the day before the election.
Military and overseas voting: Military voter information and Overseas Civilian Voter information
Submitting an Absentee Ballot
Location and time: All voted absentee ballots must be returned to your county auditor's office. Registered voters can vote in-person once Absentee Voting begins at their County Auditor's office by bringing along a valid photo identification card (ID). If a voter does not have a photo ID, they must be given the option to sign a personal identification affidavit and vote a regular ballot.
Your voted ballot MUST be received by your County Election Official on Election Day in enough time to deliver your ballot to your voting precinct before the polls close.
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
All voters who appear at a polling place must show proof of identification. Approved forms of photo identification include:
-South Dakota driver's license or non driver ID card
-U.S. government photo ID (passport is acceptable)
-U.S. Armed Forces ID
-Current student photo identification card from a South Dakota high school or South Dakota accredited institution of higher education
-Tribal photo ID
If you do not have a photo ID, you can sign a personal identification affidavit, and will still be allowed to vote a regular ballot.
Additional Information
Deciding how to vote: https://votesmart.org
Polling Place: Polling Place Locator
How to Vote: Sample Ballots
Problems with voting: If you have trouble voting, you may call the County Auditor's office call the Secretary of State’s Office at 605-773-3537,or email [email protected] or [email protected]
Provisional VotingThe purpose of a provisional ballot is to protect a person's right to vote when his or her name has wrongly been omitted from the voter registration list. The provisional ballot is sealed in a special envelope which is not opened on election night. The provisional ballot is only counted if documentation can be located after election day proving that the person was properly registered to vote in that precinct.
Contact your local County Auditor's Office for more information.
Verifying absentee ballot status: Absentee Ballot Verification
