South Dakota

Find nonpartisan voter education and local coverage for South Dakota. A summary of South Dakota voting rules is below, and each county on the map has its own page.

Explore South Dakota Counties

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All 66 South Dakota counties (A–Z)

Voting in South Dakota

Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of South Dakota voting rules, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with South Dakota’s official election website or your local election office before each election.

Registering to vote

Online: South Dakota does not offer online registration.
By mail: must be received 15 days before Election Day.
In person: by 15 days before Election Day.
Register or check your registration (South Dakota on Vote.gov)

Primary elections

South Dakota parties set their own rules: the Republican primary is closed, and the Democratic primary is semi-closed (unaffiliated voters may participate).

Voter ID

South Dakota asks voters to show a photo ID. If you don’t have one, there are other ways to cast a ballot that counts, such as being identified by a poll worker or signing an affidavit, depending on state rules.

Early voting

Starts: Forty-six days before election (in-person absentee). Ends: 5 p.m. the day before the election. Locations and hours are set locally.

Voting by mail

Any South Dakota voter can request an absentee/mail ballot. No excuse is needed.

Your local election office

Find contact information for your local election office on South Dakota’s official election website.

Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).