Register to Vote


How to register to vote
Courtesy, South Dakota Secretary of State

Voter Registration 1-2-3:

1. You may print the Voter Registration Form in Adobe Acrobat, complete it, sign it and then send it to your county auditor, download a registration form or, fill out the online form, print and send. The deadline for registration is 15 days before any election. Your card must be received by the auditor by this deadline if you are to vote in the next election.

2. Information on downloading a free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

3. County Auditors Addresses for mailing your completed Voter Registration Forms.

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 or from one of the links above

To register to vote in South Dakota, you must:
•  Be a United States citizen
•  Reside in South Dakota (residency defined)
•  Be at least 18 years old on or before the next election
•  Not currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction which included imprisonment, served or suspended, in an adult penitentiary system (See additional felony information)
•  Not be judged mentally incompetent by a court of law

You can use this form to:
•  Register to vote in South Dakota
•  Change your registration name or address
•  Change your party affiliation

Party registration:

South Dakota has closed primary elections. To be eligible to vote in the primaries, voters must indicate their political party choice on the registration cards. Republican, Democratic, and Constitution parties are the recognized political parties in South Dakota.

To register:
•  Complete the entire registration form by printing the requested information.
•  If you are currently registered to vote, please also fill out the cancellation on the bottom of the form.
•  Return the form to the county auditor in your county of residence.
•  You will receive a notice from your county auditor that your registration has been received. If you do not receive this notice within 15 days, please contact your county auditor.

Registration deadline:

•  The deadline for registration is 15 days before any election. Your card must be received by the auditor by this deadline if you are to vote in the next election.
•  2010 Primary deadline is May 24 (election day is June 8)
•  2010 General deadline is October 18 (election day is Nov. 2)

Absentee Voting
Courtesy, South Dakota Secretary of State

Absentee Voting 1-2-3

1. Complete and print the appropriate Absentee Ballot Application in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format.

Paper Ballot Request

•  Absentee Ballot Application
•  Absentee Ballot Fill In and Print Application

Military and Overseas Citizens Electronic Access Ballot Request - ONLY active duty military (overseas and stateside), family members of the same and overseas citizens may use this request, click here.

•  sign your application.

2. Your signature must be notarized or the application must be submitted with a photocopy of a valid form of identification:

•  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
•  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

3. Send the application to the person in charge of the election.
•  Primary or General Elections. County Auditor Addresses to mail a completed absentee ballot application
•  School Elections. School Addresses to mail a completed absentee ballot application. Send your application to the “Business Manager” for the school district in which you are a resident and registered voter.
•  Municipal Elections. Municipal Addresses to mail a completed absentee ballot application. Send your application to the “Finance Officer” for the municipality in which you are a resident and registered voter.

South Dakota has no excuse absentee voting, which means any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballots for Primary and General Elections are available at least 45 days prior to the election. Absentee Ballots for municipal and school elections are available several 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 absentee ballot application can be filed after January 1 and until 3 p.m. on Election Day. The absentee ballot application is good for the calendar year in which it is submitted. Voters who qualify to vote absentee may also go to the office of the person in charge of the election, complete an absentee ballot application, and vote in person. A person may vote in person once the ballots are available and 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 p.m. on 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.

Where Do I Vote?

Click here to visit the South Dakota Secretary of State's website to access a useful tool that will help you find out where to go vote if you are registered.