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South Dakota
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You’ve chosen to vote in SOUTH DAKOTA!

You’ve chosen to vote in SOUTH DAKOTA!

⓪ What you will need

① Get registered

② Request your vote-by-mail ballot

③ What happens next?

More info

FAQ and troubleshooting for South Dakota issues

Where should I have my vote-by-mail ballot sent?

I don't have a valid SD State ID/Driver’s License

The address on my SD State ID is incorrect/out of date

I’ve moved or changed my name since registering to vote

I need to print/mail a paper form but do not have access to a printer

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⓪ What you will need

① Get registered

Check online if you are already registered. If your home address or name has changed, re-register using the regular registration process below. >>>What if I'm registered somewhere else?<<<

Register by mail (only if you can’t register online) by completing a Voter Registration Application and printing and mailing it to your local elections authority together in the same envelope with your vote-by-mail ballot request in Section ②.

Common Issues:

② Request your vote-by-mail ballot

Prefer to vote in-person? That may be a problem this year, and we recommend requesting a vote-by-mail ballot even if you want to vote in-person. You can take your vote-by-mail ballot to your polling place (during early voting or on election day) where they will void it and let you vote in-person or let you cast your mail ballot on the spot (note that many states require you to show valid photo ID when voting in person!). Also, if you don't receive your vote-by-mail ballot in time, you can still go to the polls in-person.

How to request an absentee ballot:

Mailing address - send my ballot where?  Given the uncertainty of where you may be living due to COVID, don't have your vote-by-mail ballot sent to your campus housing address. If it arrives there and the residence hall is closed, nobody will be able to retrieve it. Instead, send to yourself at the address of a friend or relative with a stable address. They can mail it to you wherever you are. However ballots can't be "forwarded"; they have to be re-mailed in an outer envelope with new stamps. 

Request by mail:

  1. Print neatly on the Application for Absentee Ballot in black or blue pen (including your signature, matching your registration signature)
  2. Include a copy of your valid SD State ID/Driver’s License with your application
  1. Note: If you cannot provide a copy of a valid photo ID, you may also opt to confirm your identity before and have the application signed by a notary - see Box 7 of on the application form linked above
  1. Mail the completed application (along with your voter registration application from Section ①, if necessary) to the address provided at the bottom of the application (or look up the address of your election authority here)

Common Issues:

③ What happens next?

More info

FAQ and troubleshooting for South Dakota issues

Where should I have my vote-by-mail ballot sent?

Given the uncertainty of where you may be living due to COVID, instead of having your vote-by-mail ballot sent to your campus address you may want to have it sent to a friend or relative's home. They can get it to you wherever you are. Ballots can't be "forwarded"; they have to be re-mailed in an outer envelope.

I don't have a valid SD State ID/Driver’s License

If you do not have a SD State ID or Driver’s License, you can register to vote by using the last four digits of your SSN. It doesn't work as smoothly, so don't do this unless you have to.

If you do not have either a SD state-issued ID or a SSN, you may only register at the county auditor's office in-person and must sign a statement verifying that you do not have a valid SD State ID, Driver’s License, or SSN.

In order to submit an absentee voter application without a valid SD State ID, Driver’s License, or SSN you must submit a copy of an alternative form of photo identification along your application. If you cannot provide a copy of a valid photo ID, you may also opt to confirm your identity before and have the application signed by a notary - see Box 7 on the application.

Acceptable alternative forms of photo ID include:

The address on my SD State ID is incorrect/out of date

The name or address on your ID doesn’t have to be current, however, you must provide an up-to-date home and mailing address.

I’ve moved or changed my name since registering to vote

If your address is incorrect or you have changed your name you must update/re-register to vote following the steps in Section ① of this document.

I need to print/mail a paper form but do not have access to a printer

Not a problem! Please email us at vote@colum.edu with all the documents and/or proof of residence and identification requirements you need printed and we’ll print them and mail them to you.

About this page/project