SOUTH DAKOTA – With absentee voting underway in South Dakota, election officials are reminding residents not to wait until the last minute to mail their ballots.
State law allows absentee voting for 45 days before an election, but voters must first make sure they are registered. Those who are not registered must submit a voter registration form to their county auditor by October 19.
After registering, voters must complete an absentee ballot application before receiving a ballot by mail. Lincoln County Auditor Sheri Lund recommends allowing at least five business days for a completed ballot to be returned through the mail.
The reminder comes after 153 ballots were discarded during the Sioux Falls mayoral runoff earlier this year, a race decided by just four votes.
Voters can verify their registration status, view their ballot, and track whether their ballot has been received through the Voter Information Portal on the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website.
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