2026 election

Voting in South Dakota

Primary

Held

Tuesday, June 2

Early voting

April 17th – June 1st

General

Tuesday, November 3

Early voting

September 18 – November 2

Register by: October 19, 5pm
Request a mail ballot by: November 2, 5pm
Mailed ballot must arrive by: November 3 close of polls

See every race and candidate on your South Dakota ballot, and where each one stands, before you vote.

Plan your ballot →

How to cast your ballot

By mail

Any registered voter may vote by mail — no reason needed.

Request a ballot Track your ballot The rules Where to drop it off

In person

Polls open on election day: 7am – 7pm
Or vote early: In the windows shown above

What counts as ID

You will be asked to show photo ID to vote in South Dakota.

Acceptable forms include:

South Dakota driver's license or non-driver's ID card
US government photo ID (including a passport)
US armed forces ID
Current student photo ID from a South Dakota high school or South Dakota accredited institution of higher education
Tribal photo ID

Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you can sign a personal identification affidavit and vote a regular ballot.

Find your polling place Early voting

Before you can vote

Registering

Ways to register:

By mail

Who can register, and what you need

To register in South Dakota you must:

Be a United States citizen (proof of citizenship required to vote in non-federal races)
Be a resident of South Dakota for at least thirty days prior to the next election
Be at least 18 years old on or before the next election
Not have been judged mentally incompetent by a court
Not be currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction which included imprisonment, served or suspended, in an adult penitentiary system

You can find more information on voting rights restoration here.

Check if you are registered Register

Which primary can you vote in?

If you want to participate in South Dakota partisan primary elections, you should register with the party whose primary you would like to vote in. However, some parties allow unaffiliated voters to participate in their primary elections.

Also voted on June 2: California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico.

Dates, deadlines and rules come from DemocracyWorks, last refreshed August 27, 2026; poll hours from our own election guide. Rules change — check with your election office before you rely on a date.