Title 12, ELECTIONS

An application for the correction of any precinct registration list or to challenge the right to vote of any registered voter may be filed by the secretary of state, the auditor of the county where the challenged voter is registered, or any other individual who is registered as a…

An applicant for registration shall answer questions and sign the oath as required on the form prescribed by the State Board of Elections. An applicant for registration at a driver's license station shall also sign a signature card prescribed by the Department of Public Safety. T…

A voter registration shall be considered to be effective on the date which the card is received by the county auditor. However, if the card was completed at one of the agencies listed in § 12-4-2 , is received by the auditor within five days following any registration deadline an…

To file an application for correction, the individual must sign and file an affidavit attesting that, to the best of the individual's personal knowledge and belief, having exercised due diligence to personally verify the evidence presented, the challenged voter is not qualified t…

If a county auditor receives an application for correction, pursuant to § 12-4-60 , and, after researching the voter, determines the affidavit raises a valid challenge, the auditor must send a verification request to the voter named in the application. The verification request mu…

If a voter's registration is canceled, pursuant to § 12-4-61 , the voter may appeal the auditor's decision to the board of county commissioners or circuit court. Any decision of the board may be appealed to the circuit court. Source: SL 2025, ch 61 , § 5.

Records of an application of correction filed pursuant to § 12-4-60 must be retained by the county auditor for at least twenty-two months. Thereafter, if the auditor chooses to destroy the records, the records must be destroyed in a secure manner. Source: SL 2025, ch 61 , § 6.

Any local, state, or federal agency staff person who registers a voter shall ensure that the registration card, as prescribed by the State Board of Elections, is filled out completely. Source: SL 1975, ch 119 , § 14; SL 1976, ch 105 , § 5; SL 1978, ch 94 , § 2; SL 1985, ch 107 , …

For the purpose of expediting work of the county auditor, to promote uniformity in registration, and for the preparation of abstracts and other forms to be used by election boards, registration records shall be prescribed by the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Electi…

In lieu of forms for registration prescribed under § 12-4-8 , requests for absentee ballots submitted in accordance with the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. § 20301 et seq., as of January 1, 2023, are sufficient for registration purposes. The county…

Any voter whose name appears in the master registration file who makes written application to the county auditor for a duplicate acknowledgment notice, who has not received one or who has lost it, may receive a true copy of the card on file. Source: SL 1970, ch 86 , § 8; SDCL Sup…

The county auditor shall maintain and safeguard a digital master registration file that contains: (1) The information from the voter registration card of each individual registered to vote in the county; (2) The date of the last election at which the individual has voted; (3) The…

A person eligible to vote under § 12-4-1 may apply to the secretary of state to be listed in the master registration file with a secured active designation. The secretary of state shall certify a secured active designation if an applicant provides a sworn application that affirms…

Any personally identifiable information contained in the statewide or county master registration file is not available to the public if the information pertains to: (1) A current or retired state or federal court judge or justice; and (2) A law enforcement officer, as defined in …