Complete Back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot

South Dakota allows you to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) for registration and voting in primary, secondary, special, and general elections for Federal office.

Open Back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot

(Opens in a new window and requires Adobe Reader 7)

What do I fill in?

Only the following blocks of the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation are required:

Block 1: South Dakota allows you to use this form for registration.

Block 2: Select the category that describes you.

Block 3: Name (Last, First, Middle)

Block 4: Date of Birth

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 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: Enter your current mailing address.

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

Affirmation: Sign and date. No witness or notary required.

Once the ballot is complete, fold and place it in the security envelope and seal. Place only the voted ballot in the security envelope and do not write on the security envelope. Insert the sealed security envelope and the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation into the mailing envelope and mail your FWAB directly to your local election official. Contact information for your county auditor is available at www.sdsos.gov.

Envelope Templates

Open Security Envelope Template

Open Postage-Paid Envelope Template

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The postage-paid envelope may be used 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

Mail

You must mail your back-up Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot to your local election official. Find your county or city in the address 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.

• If you receive your State absentee ballot after submitting your Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, fill it out and return it. The State absentee ballot will be counted instead of the back-up ballot if it's received in time.
• To find out the status of your registration, contact your local election office or refer to South Dakota’s Voter Information Portal at: http://sdsos.gov/Elections/VIPLogin.aspx. 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.