Filed as: §§ 5:02:03:01 (Effective January 1, 2026) Voter registration form; 5:02:08:00.01 Requirements for counting signatures on petitions; 5:02:08:01.01 Certification of partisan candidate for lieutenant governor; 5:02:10:01 (Effective January 1, 2026) Application for absentee ballot; 5:02:10:01.03 (Effective January 1, 2026) Combined absentee ballot application/return envelope; 5:02:19:05 Candidate’s petition for recount; 5:02:24 Voter Registration Challenges; 5:02:24:01 Voter registration challenge application; 5:02:24:02 Documentation required to support voter registration challenge; 5:02:24:03 Documentation required to rebut voter registration challenge; 5:02:24:04 Process to establish the validity of a voter registration challenge.
Starting January 1, 2026, South Dakota changes how it handles voter registration, absentee ballots, election petitions, and voter registration challenges. The voter registration form now requires applicants to confirm they have an actual fixed permanent dwelling in the state (not just residency) and adds a warning that using only a commercial mail box may result in federal-voter-only status. The absentee ballot application form expands significantly to collect more details about applicant eligibility, identity verification methods, and authorized messengers, while reducing the criminal penalty for impersonating a voter from 5 years and $10,000 to 2 years and $4,000. The rules tighten requirements for counting petition signatures by adding a new rule that signatures on statewide ballot questions must match the voter's current registration address. New rules also establish a formal process for voter registration challenges, including documentation requirements and procedures to determine validity, and add a certification form for partisan lieutenant governor candidates.
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Election Rules
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