South Dakota voter registration closes Oct 19 for the November 3, 2026 election. Every deadline — registration, mail ballot and early voting — with the official source for each.
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In-person absentee voting (South Dakota's form of early voting) begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at your county auditor's office. You can apply for and vote an absentee ballot in person until 5 p.m. local time Monday, November 2, 2026. No excuse needed. Vote in-person absentee at your county auditor's office during regular office hours (bring photo ID or sign an ID affidavit). Office hours and any satellite absentee sites vary by county.
Your signed paper form must be RECEIVED by your county auditor by 5 p.m. local time Monday, October 19, 2026. Fax and email are not accepted. Register in person at your county auditor's office (or driver's license station) by 5 p.m. local time Monday, October 19, 2026.
Absentee ballot requests must be in before 5 p.m. local time Monday, November 2, 2026 - but a ballot requested that late by mail may not reach you and get back in time, so request early. Voters confined by illness/disability can use an authorized messenger until 3 p.m. Election Day.
Your voted absentee ballot must reach your county election official on Election Day in time to be delivered to your precinct before polls close (polls close 7 p.m. local time). Ballots arriving after polls close are not counted.
We publish a gap rather than a guess. These points were not settled by an official source:
Every date above was read from the South Dakota election office's own published material, last checked Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Confirm anything you are relying on with your local election authority.
October 19 Voter Registration Deadline A person must register to vote by 5:00 p.m. local time on this date (fifteen days prior to the election) to vote in the General Election (SDCL 12-4-5).
https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/register-to-vote/default.aspx
Your Voter Registration form with an original signature must be received by the auditor 15 days before any election if you wish to vote in that election. South Dakota law does not allow you to submit your voter registration form via fax or email.
https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/absentee-voting.aspx
Your voted ballot MUST be received by your County Election Official on Election Day in enough time to deliver your ballot to your voting precinct before the polls close.
https://sdsos.gov/Division%20of%20Elections/Voting%20Information/absentee-voting.aspx
You can apply for an absentee ballot in person any time before an election, up until 5:00 p.m. the day before Election Day.