Upcoming Elections
2010 Primary Election: 06/8/10
2010 General Election: 11/2/10
Polling Place Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Click here to download a South Dakota Frequently Asked Questions document created by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and its pro bono law firm partners.
Voter Registration Information
Click here for a South Dakota Voter Registration Guide created by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and its pro bono law firm partners.
Registration Deadlines
The registration card must be received by the county auditor 15 days before the election if the registrant is to vote in said election.
Deadline for 2010 General Election: October 18, 2010
Identification Required for Registration
Any person registering to vote shall provide his or her South Dakota driver license number on the voter registration form. If a person does not have a South Dakota driver license, the person shall provide the last four digits of his or her social security number on the voter registration form. If a person does not have a South Dakota driver's license or social security number, the person may only register at the county auditor's office and shall sign a sworn statement verifying the fact that he or she has neither a South Dakota driver license nor social security number.
How to Check Registration
Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
Visit the South Dakota Secretary of State's Voter Registration Lookup webpage.
Voting Information
Identification Required to Vote
Voters are required to provide identification before voting. When the voter is requesting a ballot, the voter shall present a valid form of personal identification. The personal identification that may be presented shall be either:
- A South Dakota driver's license or non-driver identification card;
- A passport or an identification card, including a picture, issued by an agency of the United States government;
- A tribal identification card, including a picture; or
- A current student identification card, including a picture, issued by a high school or an accredited institution of higher education, including a university, college, or technical school, located within the State of South Dakota.
A member of the precinct election board shall verify that the picture on the personal identification presented by the voter matches such person and that the name on the personal identification appears on the voter registration list. If the member cannot determine from the personal identification presented that the person making an application for ballots is the person listed on the voter registration list, the member may consider other forms of identification, personal knowledge and an explanation from the person making an application for ballots to match that person's name to a name on the registration list. If identity cannot be proven to the satisfaction of the member of the precinct election board or if the person making an application for ballots is challenged on the basis of identity by a member or a poll watcher, the person may vote a provisional ballot.
If a voter is not able to present a form of personal identification, the voter may complete an affidavit (in a form provided by the Board of Elections) in lieu of the personal identification.
How to Find Your Polling Place
Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
Absentee Voting
Click here to visit GoVoteAbsentee.org, a resource for absentee voters.
Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot (no-excuse required). Absentee ballots are available for the general election six weeks prior to the election.
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. The application must be mailed or hand delivered to the person in charge of the election. The application cannot be submitted by fax. 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. Notaries public are prohibited by law from charging a fee for notarizing an absentee ballot application.
The application can be filed anytime during the calendar year of the election. The application deadline is 3:00pm on Election Day.
Voters who qualify to vote absentee may also go to the office of the person in charge of the election, complete an application, and vote in the office. This should be done prior to Election Day.
In the event of confinement because of sickness or disability, a qualified voter may request an absentee ballot in writing, naming an authorized messenger who will deliver the ballot to the voter. An application for a ballot by authorized messenger must be received by the person in charge of the election before 3:00 p.m. the day of the election.
The voter must sign a statement on the absentee ballot envelope prior to returning the ballot. All voted ballots must be returned to the person in charge of the election in time to be delivered to the appropriate polling place prior to the closing of the polls.
Absentee voting in 2010 General Election begins on September 21.
Early Voting
Voters who qualify to vote absentee may also go to the office of the person in charge of the election, complete an application, and vote in the office. This should be done prior to Election Day.
Information For People who have Moved or Changed Addresses
Persons who have moved to a new precinct, regardless of county, and have not yet registered in their new precinct may vote in their old precinct.
Information for People with Felony Convictions
Voting rights are restored automatically after release from prison and discharge from parole (probationers may vote)
For more information, go to the South Dakota Secretary of State's website, or click here to download a South Dakota Election Protection Manual created by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and its pro bono law firm partners.
