Advance voting set to begin for South Dakota’s general election

Advance voting begins Friday for South Dakota’s Nov. 3 general election.

People hoping to cast a ballot must first be registered to vote. Anyone unsure of their registration status may check it in the South Dakota secretary of state’s Voter Information Portal at vip.sdsos.gov/viplogin.aspx. The voter registration deadline is Oct. 19. Registration applications and instructions are available from the secretary of state and county auditors.

Voters planning to cast their ballot ahead of the election have multiple options.

To cast a ballot in-person, voters may check with their county auditor for the location and hours of their local advance voting site. Identification is required when voting. Acceptable forms include a South Dakota driver’s license or non-driver ID card, a passport or other photo ID issued by the U.S. government, a tribal photo ID, or a current student photo ID issued by a South Dakota high school or college.

To cast a ballot by mail, voters may print an absentee ballot application from sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/absentee-voting.aspx, or request an application from their county auditor. Completed applications should either be notarized and mailed to the county auditor, or mailed to the auditor with a photocopy of photo identification. Acceptable types include a South Dakota driver’s license or non-driver ID card, a U.S. passport or other U.S. government-issued ID, a military ID, a current student ID from a South Dakota high school or college, or a tribal ID.

For voters unable to receive or deliver an absentee ballot due to an illness or disability, there is a section on the absentee ballot application for an authorized messenger.

Military members and voters living overseas may submit their absentee ballot application by mail, email or fax, and guidance is available from the secretary of state.

President Donald Trump attempted to impose new restrictions on mail-in voting this year, but a federal court blocked the restrictions, and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s order on Monday, leaving mail-in voting to proceed as usual.

Items on ballots in South Dakota include four proposed state constitutional amendments; races for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and Legislature; and various local races and ballot questions. Sample ballots are available in the state’s Voter Information Portal.