How to Vote in South Dakota’s 2024 Elections

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• Presidential and state primary: Tuesday, June 4
• General election: Tuesday, Nov. 5

• Absentee voting: All registered voters can request an absentee ballot.

• Early voting: South Dakota does not offer early in-person voting, but you can cast an absentee ballot at your county auditor’s office before the presidential and state primary and the general election.

• Voting at the polls: You must show an approved photo ID, such as a state-issued driver’s license or tribal ID, to vote at the polls. Otherwise, you’ll need to complete a personal identification affidavit.

Dan Brouillette/Bloomberg/Getty Images

A 2023 law prohibits the use of ballot drop boxes.

Register by mail or in person by Monday, May 20, for the presidential and state primary and by Monday, Oct. 21, for the general election:

• By mail: Print, fill out and sign a voter registration form from the state’s voter portal, then mail it to your county auditor. Include your current South Dakota driver’s license or nondriver ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. You can also call your county auditor’s office or the secretary of state’s office at 605-773-3537 to request a form.

• In person: Visit your county auditor’s office. Or visit a city finance office, public assistance agency, office of the Department of Human Services, military recruitment office or secretary of state’s office. You can also attend a voter registration drive or register at a driver’s license station when obtaining or updating your license. 
  

Contact your county election official if you do not receive an acknowledgment notice within 15 days of the date you submitted your registration application. Use the state’s voter portal to check your voter registration status.

South Dakota does not allow same-day voter registration.

South Dakota’s Democratic primary is open to registered Democrats and independent or no party affiliation (NPA) voters, but not Republicans. The state’s Libertarian primary is open to voters registered as Libertarian, independent or NPA. The Republican primary is only open to registered Republicans.

Independent or NPA voters who plan to vote absentee in the presidential and state primary must choose a party ballot when filling out an absentee ballot application. Voters who don’t choose a party ballot will be sent a nonpolitical ballot, which includes only candidates running without a party affiliation as well as local ballot measures.

Any registered voter can request an absentee ballot. Apply by mail, in person or using an authorized messenger, if eligible.

• By mail: Download and complete an absentee ballot application form. Mail your original, signed application to your county auditor's office. Attach a copy of an acceptable form of ID — such as a South Dakota driver’s license, a South Dakota nondriver ID card, passport or tribal photo ID — to your application form. Or complete a notarized oath on the form (Section 7) swearing the information is true and correct.

• In person: Fill out an absentee ballot application form at your county auditor’s office. Bring an acceptable form of ID. You can complete your absentee ballot application and mark your ballot at the same time. 

• Using an authorized messenger: If sickness or disability keeps you from the polls, you can apply for an absentee ballot via an authorized messenger. The authorized messenger may pick up and return your ballot to the county auditor for you. Download, print and complete the absentee ballot application form, including the authorized messenger request section. Authorized messengers must let their county auditor’s office know if they are delivering ballots for more than one person.

Your application is due by mail or in person by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 3, for the presidential and state primary and on Monday, Nov. 4, for the general election. Applications to vote via an authorized messenger are due by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, for the presidential and state primary and by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, for the general elections. Ballots are mailed within 48 hours of an application’s receipt.

Only voters covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act can submit their application for an absentee ballot via fax or email.

Mark your ballot and place it in the return envelope. Sign your name on the reverse side of the return envelope. Return your completed absentee ballot:

• By mail: Follow the instructions that accompany your absentee ballot, then mail your ballot with proper postage to your county auditor’s office. 

• In person: Drop off your completed ballot at your county auditor’s office.

• Using an authorized messenger: All voters can have someone deliver their ballot to the correct county auditor’s office.
  

Completed absentee ballots must be received on Tuesday, June 4, for the presidential and state primaries and Tuesday, Nov. 5, for the general election with sufficient time for election officials to deliver them to the corresponding polling locations before the polls close. Contact your county auditor to determine the deadline.

Track your ballot using the state’s voter portal.

South Dakota doesn’t offer early in-person voting, but you can go to your county auditor's office to complete and submit an absentee ballot in person for the presidential and state primary and general election.

Use the state’s voter portal to find a polling place near you. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the state and presidential primaries and the general election.

All voters applying for an absentee ballot or voting at a polling place on Election Day need to show an approved photo ID, such as a state-issued driver’s license, state-issued student ID, U.S. passport or tribal ID.

If you do not have an approved photo ID while voting in-person absentee or at the polls, you may complete a personal identification affidavit and still vote a regular ballot. This affidavit may not be used as a substitute for the ID requirements for the absentee ballot application.

Voters have the option to use the ExpressVote machine, which shows an electronic version of the ballot on a screen. The machine also can read the ballot to you. You can mark your ballot using the touch screen or keypad.

Key races:

• U.S. President
• U.S. House: one seat
• State House: 70 seats
• State Senate: 35 seats

Sample ballots will be available at the secretary of state’s website.

Editor’s note: This guide was originally published Jan. 30, 2024, and has been updated with new information about voting in the 2024 elections.

Maura Kelly Lannan is a writer, editor and producer for AARP who covers federal and state policy. She has worked as a reporter for the Associated Press, the Chicago Tribune and the Waterbury, Connecticut, Republican-American. She also has written for Bloomberg Government, The Boston Globe and other publications. 

• Follow AARP's political coverage at aarp.org/elections  
• Keep up with local events and AARP advocacy efforts at states.aarp.org/south-dakota 
• Find information about the Aberdeen, S.D., election