South Dakota Searchlight
Early voting for South Dakota’s Nov. 5 general election begins today.
Check registration
To cast an early ballot, voters should first make sure they’re registered. Voter registration status can be checked in the South Dakota Secretary of State’s online voter information portal at vip.sdsos.gov/viplogin.aspx.
The registration deadline for the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 21. Voter registration instructions are available online from the secretary of state at sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/register-to-vote/default.aspx.
Vote early in person
To vote early in person, voters may go to their local county auditor’s office with acceptable photo identification. Acceptable photo identification cards include a South Dakota driver’s license or non-driver ID card, tribal ID, passport, student ID issued by a South Dakota high school or college, or any other photo ID issued by the U.S. government. If a voter does not have a photo ID, the voter must be given the option to sign a personal identification affidavit.
Vote early (absentee) by mail
To vote early by mail (also called absentee voting), voters may request an absentee ballot application from their county auditor or download an application from the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website at sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/absentee-voting.aspx.
Voters filling out an absentee ballot application form must include a photocopy of an acceptable photo identification card or have the form notarized. Acceptable photo identification cards include a South Dakota driver’s license or non-driver ID card, tribal ID, passport, student ID issued by a South Dakota high school or college, or any other photo ID issued by the U.S. government.
Absentee ballot applications should be mailed to the voter’s county auditor’s office. A list of the offices is available at vip.sdsos.gov/CountyAuditors.aspx.
The auditor will provide a paper absentee ballot to the voter. The voter then completes the ballot and mails it to the auditor.
Special instructions for military and overseas voters are available at sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/military-members.aspx and sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/overseas-citizen-voter.aspx.