PIERRE, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The absentee voting period for South Dakota’s 2022 General Election begins today,

To request an absentee ballot, voters must submit an absentee ballot application form to their county auditor. The application can be found at the county auditor or online at www.sdsos.gov.

Voters choosing to cast an absentee ballot are encouraged to account for mail processing and delivery times. Absentee ballot applications include options to receive absentee ballots for a specific election or all elections held during a calendar year. Voters who completed an absentee ballot application form earlier this year would receive a ballot if they marked the option of receiving absentee ballots for all elections or the general election on the request form.

Absentee ballot application forms must include a copy of ID

Voters may verify whether they have already requested an absentee ballot by contacting their county auditor or searching the Voter Information Portal (VIP) on the Secretary of State’s website. Voters submitting an absentee ballot application form must include a photocopy of an acceptable photo identification card or have the form notarized, as per South Dakota Codified Law 12-18-6.1. Acceptable photo identification cards include a South Dakota driver’s license or non-driver ID card, tribal photo ID, passport, or other picture ID issued by the United States government or a current student photo ID issued by a South Dakota high school or postsecondary education institution.

In-person absentee votes

Voters also have the option to in-person absentee vote with their county auditor up to the day before the election or to vote at the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8. To in-person absentee vote, please contact your county auditor for office hours. On Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. For polling location and sample ballot information, please visit the Voter Information Portal (VIP) on the Secretary of State’s website.