View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.
Get StartedYou can register to vote in South Dakota by using one of the following methods:
You can also register to vote on BallotReady.org.
The process of changing your voter registration is similar to registering to vote for the first time. You can update your voter registration by mail or in-person. You can also use BallotReady.org to check your voter registration status.
Remember that the deadline to change your voter registration is 15 days before the election.
The identification that you need to register to vote in South Dakota varies based on the method of registration:
Be prepared to provide your South Dakota Driver License Number. If you do not have a current SD Driver License, then you may provide the last 4 digits of Social Security Number.
Any person registering to vote shall provide the person's valid South Dakota driver license number or a South Dakota nondriver identification number on the voter registration form. If a person does not have a valid South Dakota driver license or a South Dakota nondriver identification number, the person shall provide the last four digits of the person's social security number on the voter registration form. If a person does not have a valid South Dakota driver license, a South Dakota nondriver identification number, or a social security number, the person may only register at the county auditor's office and shall sign a statement verifying the fact that the person does not have a valid South Dakota driver license, a South Dakota nondriver identification number, or a social security number. South Dakota Codified Law 12-4- 5.4.
For more information on voting requirements for your state, make a plan to vote on BallotReady.org.
Residents of South Dakota can check their voter registration status through the following methods:
You can also check your voter registration on BallotReady.org.
In South Dakota, you need to be registered to vote at least 15 days before an election to be eligible to cast a ballot.
For the upcoming {{ next_election_name }}, your voter registration application must be:
No, South Dakota does not have same-day voter registration. This means you cannot register to vote on Election Day. You must register at least 15 days before an election in order to vote.
South Dakota residents that fit the following criteria are eligible to register to vote:
South Dakota gives voters the option to choose a political party when registering to vote. It is not required to register, but choosing “no party preference” could limit your ability to participate in presidential primary elections and caucuses.
Note: In-person early voting is sometimes referred to as 'in-person absentee', 'over-the-counter voting', 'assisted voting', or other similar titles. These are all essentially the same processes and will be discussed as one in this section.
For the upcoming {{ next_election_name }}, any registered voter may vote early in person.
In-person early voting may happen in a variety of locations like county election offices, city halls or municipal buildings, public libraries, schools, and community centers. It’s important to note that the availability of early voting can vary significantly by state or even county. They may also change from election to election, so be sure to check your early voting location before you head to the polls.
You can use BallotReady.org to make a plan to vote early and find a specific in-person early voting location, based on your address.
You may also be able to find information on in-person early voting on South Dakota’s Secretary of State website.
For the {{ next_election_name }}, the dates for in-person early voting are as follows:
Generally, in-person early voting in person begins 46 days before Election Day and ends 1 day before Election Day. However, it’s worth checking the specific early voting dates for upcoming elections, as these dates can change or differ for local elections.
According to the South Dakota Secretary of State website, you must present one of the following forms of ID at a polling place on Election Day to comply with South Dakota’s voter ID laws:
It’s extremely important to have the appropriate ID when you go to your polling place to vote. However, if you’re not able to present one of the required forms of identification, ask a poll worker about what options you have to vote via provisional ballot.
A provisional ballot gives you the opportunity to vote when your voter registration is not able to be verified. After Election Day, election officials will attempt to verify that you voted in the correct district. This option is only recommended in exceptional circumstances – for example, you forgot your voter ID and you won’t be able to make it back to your polling place before it closes.
Election Day voting hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at all polling places statewide in South Dakota.
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 states that election officials conducting federal elections must ensure that each polling place has at least one accessible voting system for individuals with disabilities. This system should provide the same level of privacy and independence as those available to other voters.
Plan ahead by getting in touch with your county elections official to learn more about what specific accommodations are available at your polling place.
For voters in South Dakota, you can find more information on this page from the South Dakota Secretary of State.
According to the South Dakota Secretary of State, all registered voters in South Dakota may vote by mail.
If you change your mind about voting by mail, you can still vote in person.
South Dakota requires voters to pay for their own postage when mailing back their ballot.
You can track your ballot by visiting South Dakota’s ballot tracker on this site.
If you make a plan to vote on BallotReady.org, you’ll receive information regarding:
In some states, absentee voting information can be different based on where you’re located. In our Civic Center, you’ll learn more about how to vote absentee based on your address.
Voter Registration Form | South Dakota Secretary of State. Accessed July 17, 2024.
Absentee Voting | South Dakota Secretary of State. Accessed July 31, 2024.
MIT Election Data + Science Lab. Accessed August 1, 2024.
General Voting Information | South Dakota Secretary of State. Accessed August 7, 2024.
Polling Place Accessibility | South Dakota Secretary of State. Accessed August 7, 2024.
Voter Information Portal | South Dakota Secretary of State. Accessed August 8, 2024.
Democracy Maps. Accessed August 8, 2024.
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View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.