Title 12 — ELECTIONS

Source: SDC 1939, § 16.1103; SL 1961, ch 100 ; SL 1974, ch 118 , § 81; SL 1999, ch 69 , § 14.

The county auditor shall provide printed ballots for each election in which the voters of the entire county participate. Except as provided in § 12-6-9 , printed ballots for a primary election must contain the name of each candidate who has filed for nomination and is approved. T…

Any candidate who has been duly nominated to an elective office except State Legislature, political or nonpolitical, having no opposing candidate at the general election shall automatically be elected and the county auditor or secretary of state, as the case may be, shall, follow…

12-16-2 Paper and printing specifications--Columns for parties and independent candidates--Automatic tabulating systems. 12-16-2.1 Colors for ballots. 12-16-3

If two or more members of the State House of Representatives or the county commission are to be elected at large from a county, that portion of the official ballot shall also be prescribed, in accordance with § 12-16-8 , by the State Board of Elections. Source: SDC 1939, § 16.110…

No person's name may appear on the general election ballot as a candidate for election to more than one public office except for the office of President of the United States or vice president of the United States. Source: SL 2019, ch 72 , § 2.

Source: SL 1921, ch 224 , § 7; SDC 1939, § 16.1105 (6); SL 1971, ch 92 , § 1; SL 1974, ch 118 , § 75; SL 1976, ch 105 , § 46; SL 2025, ch 64 , § 2. 12-16-12, 12-16-13. Repealed by SL 1974, ch 118 , § 200.

Whenever it shall appear by affidavit that an error has occurred in the publication of the names or descriptions of the candidates nominated for office or in the printing of any sample or official ballots, the judge of the circuit court, upon application of any voter, shall by an…

The county auditor shall post sample ballots in a manner that can be plainly seen and read by the public. Source: SDC 1939, §§ 16.1101, 16.1304; SL 1959, ch 96 ; SL 1963, ch 112 ; SDCL, § 12-13-13; SL 1974, ch 118 , § 77; SL 1997, ch 79 , § 2.

The county auditor shall publish, in each official newspaper of the county, facsimiles of the official ballots of each election in which the voters of the entire county participate. The facsimile shall be published at least once in each official newspaper within the two calendar …

If two or more counties use the same legal newspaper and use the same type of ballot, that portion of the ballot which each county votes on in common may have its facsimile published once. If a portion of the ballot is not voted on in common, a facsimile of that portion of the ba…

This section applies when a facsimile ballot is published. The newspaper shall be compensated for publication of the facsimile ballot at the same rate as the general display rate or the qualifying contract rate, whichever is less, for the newspaper. The published facsimile may be…

The county auditor shall provide official and sample ballots to each precinct in the county. The quantity provided for a primary election shall be at least ten percent more than the number of votes cast for the gubernatorial candidate of the respective parties in the preceding gu…

The county auditor shall, not later than the opening of the polls on the day of the election, cause to be delivered to the superintendent of election of each precinct the proper number of ballots provided for the use of the voters of such precinct at such election. The same shall…

The ballots, together with all other election supplies may be delivered to the precinct superintendent or precinct deputy for each precinct at the time the precinct superintendent and precinct deputies are called together to receive instructions pursuant to §

All official ballots shall be printed on good quality bond paper, in black ink, and in the English language. The names of candidates for each office shall be printed in large type under the designation of the party for which the nomination is made, so that all the names of candid…

The State Board of Elections shall, by rule adopted pursuant to chapter 1-26 , establish the color for sample and official ballots and of ballots to be voted in all elections so as to differentiate between the political, nonpolitical, party, and ballot question ballots. In primar…

The precinct superintendent or precinct deputy receiving the package of ballots shall at the opening of the polls on election day cause the same to be delivered with the seal unbroken to the election board of the election precinct. The precinct superintendent or precinct deputy s…

In case the ballots to be furnished to any precinct are, for any reason, not duly delivered or received, or if the delivery has been exhausted, destroyed, or stolen, the precinct superintendent shall immediately procure from the county auditor replacement ballots. Source: SDC 193…

12-16-23 Voting rights notices and instructions. 12-16-24

The county auditor shall cause to be printed, in large type on cards in the English language, voting rights notices and instructions for the guidance of voters in preparing their ballots in the form as prescribed by the State Board of Elections and deliver the cards with the ball…

12-16-25 Posting of instruction cards and posters in polling place. 12-16-26 Construction of ballot boxes--Openings. 12-16-27

A member of the precinct election board may post no less than one of the instruction cards in each booth or compartment provided for the voting of ballots and not less than two of the instruction posters elsewhere in and about the polling place upon the day of election. Source: S…

Ballot boxes shall be so constructed to preclude the removal of any material therefrom except by means of an opening which may be secured in the closed position by means of a metal seal which will preclude opening of the box without the destruction of the seal; materials used in …

12-16-28 Pollbooks--Voter registration lists. 12-16-29

The person in charge of an election shall provide paper ballot precincts with a pollbook in the form prescribed by the State Board of Elections for each election precinct for the purposes of §

12-16-30 Official stamp for ballots--Delivery of stamp and supplies. 12-16-31

12-16-3.1 Order of party columns. 12-16-4

If more than one political party qualifies for the general election, the position of each party's candidates on the ballot shall be determined by drawing of lots by the secretary of state at the same time and in the same manner as prescribed for candidates in §

Before opening the polls the county auditor or officer charged with the conduct of a local election shall deliver to the precinct superintendent of each precinct within the county, for use at the polling place of the precinct, a rubber stamp. The stamp shall contain the words, of…

12-16-32 Separate tally sheets provided. 12-16-33

A separate tally sheet shall be provided for computing the votes for candidates of each political party, for independent candidates, and for judicial offices, and for all constitutional amendments, referred laws and initiated measures submitted to the voters at such elections as …

12-16-34 Rules and columns on tally sheets. 12-16-35 Listing of candidates and submitted questions on tally sheets. 12-16-36 Space for tally marks and vote totals on tally sheets. 12-16-37 Space for tallying votes on submitted questions. 12-16-38 Tallying and marking of votes--En…

The tally sheets in the area for tallying votes cast shall be ruled by horizontal and perpendicular lines so as to form squares of suitable size to contain five tally marks each, four of which may be upright and the fifth crossing the same at an oblique angle, every fifth perpend…

The names of candidates and all questions submitted to the voters shall be listed in the perpendicular column at the left of the tally sheet as required by §

There shall be at the right of each name or question in one or two horizontal lines a sufficient number of squares for the tally marks as provided in § 12-16-34 , on the tally sheets for each precinct, to contain the tally marks for one - third more votes than were cast in the pr…

There shall be sufficient spaces at the right of the squares on each tally sheet used for questions submitted to the voters to tally in full the total number of votes tallied for each question voted upon. Source: SL 1893, ch 82 , § 1; RPolC 1903, § 1896; RC 1919, § 7245; SDC 1939…

After the tallying and marking in the tally sheet of the votes for each candidate, the number of votes so tallied for each candidate shall be counted, and the numerical result shall be placed in the column opposite the candidate's name. Source: SDC 1939, § 16.1109 as added by SL …

The tally sheets for candidates for public office and submitted questions shall be prescribed by the State Board of Elections. Source: SL 1893, ch 82 , § 3; RPolC 1903, § 1898; RC 1919, § 7246; SDC 1939, § 16.1109; SL 1961, ch 101 , § 1; SL 1976, ch 105 , § 48. 12-16-40. Repealed…

12-16-5 Order of offices placed on ballot. 12-16-6 Presidential and vice-presidential candidates listed--Single square to vote for electors. 12-16-7 Number stated where more than one to be chosen--More than one independent candidate. 12-16-8 Order of listing candidates for same o…

12-16-41 Tally lists govern over certificate.

In any case in which the certificate of the members of the precinct election board as to the number of votes cast for any candidate or in favor of or against any question submitted to the voters may not agree with the votes as shown by the tally list, the canvassing board to whic…

The names of the candidates shall be placed upon the ballot in the following order: presidential electors, if any, United States Senator, if any, Representatives in Congress, state officials, legislative, and county candidates. Source: SL 1925, ch 160 ; SL 1929, ch 116 , § 1; SDC…

The group of presidential electors in each column shall be preceded by the surnames of the respective candidates for President and vice president for whom they are pledged; as for instance, " G Coolidge and Dawes electors," " G Davis and Bryan electors," etc., which shall be prin…

If more than one candidate is to be nominated or elected to the same office the ballot shall so state, as for instance, "For state senator, any two to be elected." In the independent column if there is more than one candidate for a single office the ballot shall so state, as for …

On paper ballots, the first party name drawn shall be placed in the left-hand column, the second party name drawn shall be placed in the next column, and each succeeding party name drawn shall be placed on the ballot in the order drawn. On direct recording electronic screens, on …

The form of the official general election ballot shall be prescribed by the State Board of Elections in accordance with other provisions of the law. Source: SL 1925, ch 160 ; SL 1929, ch 116 , § 2; SDC 1939, § 16.1105 (5); SL 1964, ch 60 , § 2; SL 1974, ch 118 , § 74; SL 1976, ch…