Absentee Voting

U.S. Postal Service Launches new Election Mail Website (site provides information for election officials and voters choosing to use the U.S. mail to vote) - usps.com/votinginfo

County contact information for submission of your photo identification for absentee voting. - last updated 9/16/2020

South Dakota General Election Absentee Voting Press Release - Issued September 16, 2020

Absentee Ballot Request Application Press Release - Issued April 10, 2020

How to Request an Absentee Ballot - download the application by clicking this button:

Ensure you are registered to vote. If you are unsure, confirm your registration by visiting our voter information portal.

Download and print an Absentee Ballot Application (PDF) and mail your original, signed application to your County Election Official. Only voters covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act can submit their application for absentee ballot via fax or email.

your original, signed application to your County Election Official. Registered voters can vote in-person once Absentee Voting begins at their County Auditor's office by bringing along a valid photo identification card (ID). If a voter does not have a photo ID, they must be given the option to sign a personal identification affidavit and vote a regular ballot.

If you are unable to attend your polling place in person on Election Day, you may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot. To vote by absentee ballot, a voter must request an absentee ballot application from your County Election Official. The County Election Official will send a paper absentee ballot to the voter. The voter then completes the ballot and returns it to the County Election Official.

In South Dakota, the County Election Official must receive your application for absentee ballot no later than 5 p.m. the day before the election. Your voted ballot MUST be received by your County Election Official on Election Day in enough time to deliver your ballot to your voting precinct before the polls close. Make sure you are registered before you apply to vote by absentee ballot. You can confirm your registration by visiting the Voter Information Portal.

If you are a military or overseas citizen please visit the linked pages to view absentee requirements.

If you are registered as an Independent/No Party Affiliation (NPA) and are requesting a Primary Election ballot, you may have a choice of voting a Democratic ballot or a Non-Political ballot. This is an option because the South Dakota Democratic Party has opened their party primary elections to allow voters who are registered as independent/NPA to vote in their primary. A Non-Political ballot is a ballot that only includes races where the candidates do not run with a political party affiliation and any local ballot measures (Examples include: school, city, special district, local ballot measure, etc.). On the absentee ballot application you must select if you want the Democratic ballot or Non-Political ballot. If you do not check one of those boxes, you will be sent the non-political ballot. If you do not mark a ballot selection and no non-political ballot is available, you will not receive a ballot.

In the event of confinement because of sickness or disability, a qualified voter may apply in writing and obtain an absentee ballot by authorized messenger. An authorized messenger delivers the ballot from the County Election Official to the qualified voter and then delivers the marked ballot to the County Election Official. Any application for a ballot by authorized messenger must be received by the person in charge of the election before 3:00 p.m. the day of the election.