Request Registration/Absentee Ballot

The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) registers you to vote and requests absentee ballots for all regularly scheduled Federal elections for the calendar year in which it is submitted. Voters should submit a new application after January 1 of each year to qualify for all upcoming federal elections.

You may be already registered to vote. To check, go to South Dakota's Voter Information Portal. Even if you are registered to vote, you still need to complete the form to receive an absentee ballot. You may not need to fill out this entire form. Check out the instructions below to see what information your State requires.

Open Voter Registration/Absentee Ballot Request

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What do I fill in?

Only the following blocks are required:

Block 1: Select the category that describes you.

Block 2: To vote in primary elections, you must enter your political party affiliation. If you want to change your political party affiliation, mail a completed FPCA indicating your new party preference to the local election official to be received no later than 15 days prior to the election. Political party affiliation is not required if only requesting absentee ballots for general elections. For Independent voters only, South Dakota allows a recognized political party to accept voters registered as Independent into that party's primary election. As a voter who registered as an Independent, you may have a choice of ballot types for this primary election, depending on the races in your precinct. You may choose a non-political ballot or a Democratic Ballot. Which ballot you vote is your choice. Indicate in Block 9 which ballot type you wish to vote.

Block 3: Name (Last, First, Middle)

Block 4: Date of Birth

Your valid South Dakota Driver's License number is required for voter registration. If you do not have a South Dakota Driver’s License, enter the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you do not possess either of these identification numbers, you must register at the County Auditor's office and sign a statement saying you do not have either number.

Stateside Uniformed Service members and their families must provide a photocopy of one of the following:
— a South Dakota Drivers License or non-driver ID card
— a passport or other picture ID issued by the U.S. government
— a tribal photo ID
— a current student photo ID issued by a South Dakota high school or postsecondary education institution.

Should notarization of the Stateside military voter’s signature be easier to obtain than a photocopy of the ID, a notarized absentee ballot application may be submitted (See instructions under Affirmation).

Overseas Uniformed Service members, their families, and overseas citizens are not required to include a photocopy of their identification.

Block 5: Recommended but not required. Provide your contact information to allow your local election official to follow up if more information is required.

Block 6: South Dakota allows you to receive your blank ballot by mail or email. Your absentee ballot cannot be received by fax. Please rank your preference of how you would like to receive your absentee ballot. If you choose to receive your blank ballot by email, you must provide your email address in Block 5. Please ensure that this email address does not block or filter emails forwarded from your county election official. In the event that your ballot cannot be delivered via email, your local election official will mail your ballot to the address in Block 8. If no address is provided, your ballot would then be sent to your voter
registration address in South Dakota.

Block 7: Complete street address of your South Dakota voting residence. A post office box is not sufficient. If your address includes a rural route, describe its location in Block 9. This address must be within the county where you claim
legal voting residence.

Block 8: Complete address where you want your ballot sent.

Block 9: Provide any information that may assist the local election official in accepting this application.

Affirmation: Sign and date.

Should notarization of the Stateside military voter’s signature be easier to obtain than a photocopy of the ID, a notarized absentee ballot application may be submitted. The notarization on the absentee ballot application can be
administered by any commissioned officer in the military service of the United States.

Overseas Uniformed Service members, their families, and overseas citizens are not required to have a witness or notarization.

South Dakota allows you to submit the FPCA by mail, email, or fax if you are already registered. If you are not registered, you must submit the form by mail.

Mail

If you choose to mail your FPCA, you must mail it to your specific election official. Find your county or city in the list below to locate your election official.

Open Election Official Address List

Don't know your county? Go to the county finder.

Don't know your zip code? Go to the United States Postal Service website.

Optional: You may be able to use the Postage-Paid Envelope Template.

Open Postage-Paid Envelope Template

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The postage paid envelope may be used if mailed in the U.S. Postal System, which includes all U.S. Military post offices (APO/FPO) overseas or through the diplomatic pouch available at U.S. embassies/consulates. Affix appropriate postage if using international mail. Template must be printed on a number 10 or larger envelope.

If you're not already registered and choose to fax or email you MUST also sign and mail the original.

Fax

If you are already registered to vote, you may fax your request for an absentee ballot. If you are not already registered, you must return the original form by mail. It is recommended that you fax the form directly to your local election official (fax numbers can be found on South Dakota State Election website). You may also use our toll-free fax service.  To use the Electronic Transmission Service, use the cover sheet available here and fax both forms to:

Inside the U.S.? Fax to:
1-800-368-8683
(703) 693-5527
DSN 223-5527

Outside the U.S.? Show me a list of toll-free fax numbers

Email

If you are already registered to vote, you may email your request for an absentee ballot. If you choose to email your FPCA, you should send the signed form as a scanned attachment. If you are not already registered, you must return this form by mail. It is recommended that you email the form directly to your local election official (email addresses can be found on South Dakota State Election website)

Open Fax/Email Coversheet

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• If you have not received your absentee ballot in a timely manner use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot.
• To find out the status of your registration, contact your local election office or refer to South Dakota’s Voter Information Portal at: https://www.vip.sd.gov. This site also provides you with tracking information regarding your voting materials — the date your absentee ballot application was received, the date the absentee ballot was sent to you either by mail or by email, and the date your voted absentee ballot was received by your election official.