SOUTH DAKOTA(DRGNews)- Absentee voting for South Dakota’s 2024 General Election begins Friday.

Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson says to receive an absentee ballot, voters must submit an absentee ballot application form to their county auditor. The forms are available at your local county auditor’s office or on the Secretary of State’s website.

Johnson encourages voters to request an absentee ballot as soon as possible. She also encourages voters to return it as soon as possible, to allow time for mail processing and delivery. She says voters may verify whether they have already requested an absentee ballot or check the status of their absentee ballot by contacting their county auditor or searching the Voter Information Portal on the Secretary of State’s website.

Johnson says state law requires voters submitting an absentee ballot application to include a photocopy of an acceptable photo identification card or have the form notarized. Acceptable photo identification cards include a South Dakota driver’s license or non-driver ID card, tribal ID, passport, student ID issued by a South Dakota high school or college, or any other photo ID issued by the United States government. Please contact your county auditor if you have any questions, https://vip.sdsos.gov/CountyAuditors.aspx.

Voters have the option to absentee vote in-person through Nov. 4, 2024, or vote in-person on Election Day, Nov. 5. On Election Day, polls will be open from 7am-7pm local time.

Information on polling locations and sample ballots may be found in the VIP portal on the Secretary of State’s website.