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South Dakota: Voter Guide
Voting Information // South Dakota
Registration:
2/6

Automatic voter registration

Online voter registration

Pre-registration before turning 18

Number of days prior to election a voter must be registered is 15 days or less

Online voter registration closes 15 days or less before Election Day

Registration drives

Same day registration offered in all elections

Same day registration located at polling place

Same day registration offered only during early voting

Accessibility:
5/8

All mail voting

In-person early voting

Amount of early voting days is higher than 7

Election day is a state holiday

No-excuse mail voting

12+ hours of open polls

Paid time off work to vote

Time off work to vote

Requirements:
2/7

Felons can vote after incarceration with completion of sentence

Felons can vote immediately after incarceration

Felons can vote while incarcerated

No ID required to vote

Mental competency not required to register

Non-photo ID required to vote

Photo-ID required to vote

Upcoming Elections

There are no upcoming elections. Sign up for email or text notifications prior to important election dates.

Voting Qualifications

Not currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction
Not judged mentally incompetent by a court
Resident of South Dakota
United States Citizen
18+ Years of Age

Deadlines

In Person - 
15 days before Election Day
Mail - 
Received 15 days before Election Day
In Person - 
Application to request absentee ballot due 1 day before Election Day
Mail - 
Application to request absentee ballot due 1 day before Election Day
Mail - 
Voted ballot due by 5 p.m. on Election Day
In Person - 
Between 1 and 45 days before Election Day

More Information

  • The South Dakota Democratic Primary is open to registered Democrats and Independents/No Party Affiliation voters, but not Republicans.
  • The South Dakota Libertarian Primary is open to voters registered as Libertarian, Independent, or No Party Affiliation.
  • The South Dakota Republican Primary is closed to only registered Republicans.


In a Primary election, a voter is given only the ballot for the party which the voter is registered in, except for voters registered as an Independent or No Party Affiliation (NPA).

Any registered South Dakota voter may apply for an absentee ballot and vote by mail.

All voters who appear at a polling place must show one of the following forms of photo ID:

  • South Dakota driver's license or nondriver ID card
  • U.S. government photo ID (passport is acceptable)
  • U.S. Armed Forces ID
  • Current student photo identification card from a South Dakota high school or South Dakota accredited institution of higher education
  • Tribal photo ID


If you do not have a photo ID, you can sign a personal identification affidavit, and will still be allowed to vote a regular ballot.