Dear Editor:

As the people of our great country and state join together to navigate unprecedented times, I wanted to share information regarding South Dakota’s upcoming elections. Our primary election will be held on June 2 and the primary election voter registration deadline is May 18.

To encourage absentee voting in our upcoming elections during these trying times, absentee ballot application forms were mailed to every registered voter in South Dakota. Only registered South Dakota voters are eligible to vote absentee-by-mail. If you didn’t receive an application, please visit our website at www.sdsos.gov to download a form or request a form from your local county auditor. To ensure the security and integrity of our elections, state law requires the verification of every completed absentee ballot application through notarization or by including a copy of an acceptable photo ID. Acceptable forms of photo ID include a South Dakota driver’s license or non-driver ID card, passport or other picture ID issued by the United States government, tribal photo ID, or current student photo ID issued by a South Dakota high school or postsecondary education institution. Please complete the application as soon as you are able to help local government offices process these requests.

You will be mailed an absentee ballot by your county auditor once your application is received and verified. Voters will receive the ballot for their party of registration. A voter registered with the Republican Party will receive the Republican primary ballot and the same applies for members of the Democratic Party. As there are no primary elections for the Libertarian Party in the June 2 election, voters registered as Libertarian will receive a Non-Political ballot if non-political races are occurring in their jurisdiction. Independent or No-Party Affiliation voters may choose to receive a Non-Political, Democratic, or Libertarian ballot, as per state law.

Once a county auditor has received a returned absentee ballot, the voter is recorded in the statewide voter registration list as having submitted a ballot. This prevents a voter from casting an absentee ballot and voting on Election Day. Voter signatures on the absentee ballot return envelope are also verified against the signature on the absentee application to confirm the form was completed by the same individual. Absentee ballots are not opened until Election Day. Absentee ballots are removed from the return envelopes and immediately placed in a secure ballot box to ensure voter privacy. No results are printed or displayed until all polling places have closed in the state. These Election Day processes are open to the public to observe.

If you choose not to complete the application, please note that you still have the option to in-person absentee vote with your county auditor or vote in-person on Election Day at the polls. Prior to voting in-person absentee, please contact your county auditor for office hours. On Election Day, June 2, polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. As your polling location may have changed, I encourage you to verify your polling place by accessing the Voter Information Portal (VIP) page on our website or by contacting your county auditor. I also encourage you to contact your county auditor if you are interested in becoming a poll worker for Election Day. Poll workers are paid positions. Our office, along with your local election officials, continue working to keep our polling locations safe for our election workers and South Dakota citizens.

The goal of all election officials in our state is to ensure every South Dakota voter has access to exercise their right to vote. Citizens exercising their right to vote is the foundation of our democracy and I encourage everyone to participate.

Sincerely,

Steve Barnett

South Dakota Secretary of State