Register or check your record
The county auditor must receive an original signed registration application by October 19. Check your registration and polling place through the Voter Information Portal.
Official voter resources
Make your South Dakota voting plan
South Dakota's general election is November 3, 2026. Register by October 19, vote absentee beginning September 18, or vote at your polling place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time on Election Day.
First steps
Start with these three actions
Vote absentee
Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot. In-person absentee voting begins September 18 at the county auditor's office. An original signed application is required, except for covered military and overseas voters using the permitted electronic process.
Bring identification or sign an affidavit
Show an approved photo ID at the polling place. A voter without photo ID may sign a personal identification affidavit and vote a regular ballot.
October 19registration deadline
September 18absentee voting begins
November 3General Election Day
7 a.m. to 7 p.m.polling-place hours
Election timeline
Absentee voting begins
Registered voters may begin absentee voting by mail or in person through their county election official.
Voter registration deadline
The county auditor must receive the original signed registration application by this date. Faxed and emailed registration forms are not accepted.
Last regular day for in-person absentee applications
An in-person absentee application may be made through the county office's regular closing time or 5 p.m., whichever is later, on the day before the election.
General Election Day
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. A voter without approved photo ID may sign a personal identification affidavit and vote a regular ballot.
Absentee ballot delivery deadline
The county election official must receive the voted ballot in time to deliver it to the correct polling place before the polls close. A postmark alone is not enough.
Check the current rule: South Dakota registration requires an original signature, and the county auditor must receive the application by the deadline. An absentee voter should allow mailing time in both directions because the state does not publish a separate safe mailing cutoff. Approved polling-place ID includes a South Dakota driver's license or nondriver ID, U.S. government photo ID, U.S. Armed Forces ID, qualifying South Dakota student photo ID, or tribal photo ID. Voters without photo ID may sign an affidavit.
4 statewide constitutional amendments
The Secretary of State's final ballot question pamphlet lists Constitutional Amendments I, J, K, and L for the November 3, 2026 general election.
- Constitutional Amendment IAn Amendment to the South Dakota Constitution that Repeals Expanded Medicaid Coverage if Federal Funding for the Program Drops below 90%.
- Constitutional Amendment JAn Amendment to the South Dakota Constitution Clarifying that an Individual Must Be a Citizen of the United States to be Eligible to Vote.
- Constitutional Amendment KAn Amendment to the South Dakota Constitution Establishing the Trust for Unclaimed Property Fund.
- Constitutional Amendment LAn Amendment to the South Dakota Constitution Requiring that a Proposed Constitutional Amendment or Revision Receive an Affirmative Vote of Sixty Percent of the Votes Cast.
0 statewide judicial questions
The official statewide candidate roster has no Supreme Court election or retention question for November 3, 2026. Current Supreme Court term records show no justice with a term ending in 2026. Circuit court contests are district-level and are outside this statewide guide.
Check current South Dakota elected officialsRead the official ballot question pamphlet
The Secretary of State's final pamphlet provides the official amendment titles, explanations, attorney general statements, and submitted pro and con arguments.
Open the official 2026 ballot question pamphletOfficial voter links
2026 election informationOfficial statewide dates and election resources.Voter registrationOfficial eligibility, deadline, and original-signature instructions.Absentee votingOfficial application, identification, in-person, messenger, and return rules.General voting informationOfficial polling-place hours and voter identification rules.Voter Information PortalCheck registration, polling place, and ballot information.2026 Election CalendarOfficial election administration calendar.County election officialsOfficial county auditor contact information.
Dates checked October 1, 2026. Confirm them at the linked official source.