To register to vote in the State of South Dakota an individual must meet the following qualifications:
- Be a United States Citizen
- Be at least 18 years of age on or before the next election
- Reside in South Dakota
- Not currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction which included imprisonment, served or suspended, in an adult penitentiary system
- Not be judged mentally incompetent by a court of law
The deadline for registration is 15 days before any election. The auditor must receive your card by this deadline if you are to vote in the next election.
Can change or select party affiliation 15 days before the election.
You may register at the following locations:
- County auditor's office
- City finance office
- Driver's license station
- Public assistance agencies providing food stamps, TANF or WIC
- Department of Human Services offices which provide assistance to the disabled
- Military recruitment offices
- Mail-in registration with cards from the county auditor’s office
A voter registration application can also be found online. Mail completed registration forms to your County Auditor's office.
Absentee Voting:
Absentee ballots are available six weeks prior to the election through your County Auditor’s Office. To receive a ballot by mail, a voter must file a written application for an absentee ballot with the person in charge of the election.
An application for an absentee ballot can also be found online.
The application must be mailed or hand delivered to the person in charge of the election. The voter's signature on the application must be notarized or witnessed by an official who can administer an oath. An alternative to notarization would be to send a photocopy of a valid form of identification with the application.
The application must be mailed or hand delivered to the person in charge of the election. The voter's signature on the application must be notarized or witnessed by an official who can administer an oath. An alternative to notarization would be to send a photocopy of a valid form of identification with the application.
The application can be filed anytime during the calendar year of the election. The application deadline is 3:00pm on Election Day.
All ballots must be delivered or mailed to the person in charge of the election in time to permit transmittal to the polling place before the polls close.
For more election and voter information you can contact the South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office.
