HB1217

South Dakota is modifying when absentee voting periods begin, with different timelines for different voters. Most voters (those absent from their county or unable to vote due to disability, illness, religious observance, school attendance, or work) can begin voting absentee 30 days before an election, while military and overseas voters get an earlier start at 46 days before the election. This change tightens the absentee voting window for most South Dakotans while preserving the longer period for uniformed services and overseas voters under federal law.