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South Dakota

Student-friendly residencyAbsentee requires excuse
Next election
South Dakota General Election
Nov 3, 2026
57
days away

Key dates for the South Dakota General Election

From South Dakota's official election information, last reviewed Jul 25, 2026. VoteU is an independent nonpartisan project, not a government site, so confirm anything time-critical on the official page below.

Election day, voter registration deadline, and absentee ballot request deadline for the South Dakota General Election
Election dayNov 3, 2026 (57 days away)
Register to vote byOct 19, 2026 (42 days away)
Request an absentee ballot byNov 2, 2026 (56 days away)

The absentee date above is the deadline to request a ballot. The deadline to return a completed ballot is set separately by South Dakota and is not tracked here. See how to request an absentee ballot as a student.

Register to vote
Official South Dakota portal
South Dakota Secretary of State
All official election info

VoteU Guide

Deadlines for registering to vote in South Dakota, straight from our data

Hey! I can help you figure out whether you can register to vote in South Dakota, what the deadlines are, and how to sign up. Try one of these:

Nonpartisan, and only quotes deadlines from VoteU's data. For legal edge cases, check with your county election office.

Upcoming elections

GeneralSD57 days away

South Dakota General Election

Nov 3, 2026

Governor, U.S. Senate, and four constitutional amendments. Register by Oct 19 (received, not postmarked, and no online registration). Absentee requests must reach the county auditor by 5 p.m. Nov 2, but mid-October is safer for mail time.

GovernorU.S. SenateU.S. House (at-large)State Legislature
On the ballot
  • Amendment I: Medicaid Expansion Condition
    Removes the state's obligation to fund expanded Medicaid if federal funding falls below 90%.
  • Amendment J: Citizenship Voting Requirement
    Clarifies that only U.S. citizens may vote in South Dakota elections.
  • Amendment K: Unclaimed Property Trust Fund
    Creates a trust fund for the state's unclaimed property dollars.
  • Amendment L: 60% Threshold for Amendments
    Requires future constitutional amendments to win 60% of the vote instead of a simple majority.
For students: South Dakota and SDSU students can register at their campus address.
Register by
Oct 19, 2026 (42d)
Absentee by
Nov 2, 2026
+ CalendarRegister →

Voting from campus in South Dakota

South Dakota is flagged in VoteU's dataset as generally allowing students to register at their campus address. Confirm your own situation on the official page above.

Can I vote where I go to college?
What the law says about registering at a campus address
Campus address or home address?
A side by side comparison, and how to switch
How do I request an absentee ballot?
Five steps, plus the request deadline for every state
Can I use my student ID to vote?
The federal floor, and where to find your state's list