PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) – Early voting appears to have a strong start in South Dakota.

Secretary of State Steve Barnett says county auditors are seeing lots of mail in and walk in ballots.

Barnett says anyone that wants to mail in their ballot should do that as soon as possible.

Barnett says ballots need to be in the county auditors office by the close of business on election day, Nov. 3.

Barnett says absentee ballots can’t be opened and counted before election day, but auditors can sort them by precinct to speed up the process.