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# 6 of 10 South Dakotans now vote early
- URL: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/south-dakota-early-absentee-mail-in-voting-2026-election/
- Published: 2026-09-16T09:00:51.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-16T09:00:51.000Z
- Description: It's part of a national trend that could have been impacted by a federal ruling on mail-in ballots. Voters in the state also do a better job of staying "active."
- Author: Molly Wetsch
- Tags: News/Investigations

The number of South Dakota voters who cast absentee ballots instead of voting on Election Day jumped from 16% in 2016 to 58% in 2024, according to data from the South Dakota Secretary of State's office. 

That mirrors a national trend and also highlights the context behind a recently-settled federal fight over mail-in ballots: On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court said President Donald Trump's new executive order regarding mail-in ballots could not be implemented before the November general election. That executive order, among other rules, would require states to submit information for all registered mailing voters to the U.S. Postal Service. 

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Two federal judges blocked it before the Supreme Court also rejected it.

The ruling means that starting Friday, South Dakota voters may vote in person at their county auditor's office or submit an absentee ballot for the Nov. 3 general election as usual. 

That ballot includes choices for governor, U.S. House and Senate, four ballot measures, a slate of constitutional and statutory officers as well as legislative races and some local races. 

Chris Mann, research director at the Center for Election Innovation and Research, told News Watch that South Dakota's increase in early voters also reflects a shift in national voting habits.

"It is absolutely a nationwide trend," Mann said. "Voting before Election Day, combining early in-person and mail-in ballots, was about 40% in 2016, 42% in 2018\. It jumps way up, obviously, in 2020 because of the pandemic. But then it's 51% in 2022 and 61% in 2024\. So the long-term trend is is pretty high."

The secretary of state's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

## Some voters still prefer to vote in person

Brookings County election official Jenna Baker told News Watch that her county has started to see "about half-and-half" early and Election Day voters, and more people choose to vote absentee every election year.

"We typically see an increase from year to year of people voting absentee, depending on what election it is. I would say for the primary, that's always kind of a lower voter turnout because it's typically party-specific," Baker said. 

"The primaries are steadily increasing but not an alarming rate or anything like that. But I do anticipate the general election increasing for that. I'm hoping for at least a 70% voter turnout for absentee (voters)."

![Jenna Baker, senior finance assistant and election official at Brookings County on Sep. 14, 202](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/2026/09/IMG_0103-1.jpg)

Jenna Baker, senior finance assistant and election official at Brookings County on Sep. 14, 2026, in Brookings, S.D. (Photo: Emily DeCock/South Dakota News Watch)

Baker said that while official ballots will be ready on Sept. 18, she expects most of those who show up on that day will come to collect sample ballots and other information without formally casting a vote.

South Dakota is one of a few states that restrict the processing of absentee ballots until right up to Election Day. Counties may begin processing absentee ballots the day before Election Day, but ballots cannot be counted until polls close.

Brookings County currently has 21,991 registered voters. It's one of the more populous counties, but Baker said that even with an increase in absentee voters, processing times have not yet been an issue for her office. 

She said that though the county has the option to do so earlier, it does not begin processing absentee ballots until Election Day, unlike larger counties like Minnehaha.

"Yes, we're a larger county than some of those other counties, but we still stick to what we do, what we've been doing. On that Election Day, we start processing, getting them ready to be tabulated at 7 p.m. that night. So we don't take advantage of that, but I mean, it's there, if we ever wanted to switch over," Baker said.

Brookings County still sees a mix of engaged voters both before and on Election Day, Baker said, and she still expects polls to be plenty busy on Nov. 3.

"It is interesting because a lot of people will take advantage of the absentee voting, especially because you don't have to have a reason anymore to be able to vote early. But we also still have a very good turnout on Election Day," Baker said. "There's still those people that are like, 'Nope, I don't want to do it that way. I want to show up at the polls and cast my ballot.'"

## Voter activity status 

South Dakota also has a high number of "active" voters when compared to neighboring states. Voters become "inactive" in South Dakota when they do not cast a ballot in two consecutive federal elections.

In the state, 91% of registered voters are listed as active, compared to 66% in Wyoming, 74% in Iowa and 83% in Nebraska. 

Baker said that ensuring voters are educated about what is required to stay active is an ongoing effort for her office.

"When you ask around, not a lot of people know what that means, inactive or active. People don't realize, 'If I don't vote every so often, I'm just eventually gonna get removed.' There's so much that people don't know."

[Do SD voters receive ‘inactive’ status after not casting a ballot for four years?Absentee voting in South Dakota for the Nov. 3 general election begins on Sept. 18, and the deadline to register or change registration is Oct. 19.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-1ef3bd97-3192-466b-9271-18170dcb2f94.jpg)South Dakota News WatchMichael Klinski![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1540908390241-82158ab62887-934cb5ca-7424-4e60-84ef-4fac4742f334.jpg)](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/fact-brief-south-dakota-voter-registration-inactive/)

## Federal, state election changes

South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson supported an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court that argued implementation of Trump's executive order now would place unrealistic burdens on election workers, especially in states where mail-in ballots have already been sent out, [according to SDPB](https://www.sdpb.org/elections/2026-09-14/top-sd-legal-election-officials-at-odds-over-implementing-trumps-mail-in-ballot-restrictions-for-midterms?ref=sdnewswatch.org). She was one of six secretaries of state to do so. 

"For election officials, elections are not something that simply happen on Election Day — preparations have been underway this entire year, and crucial preparations are occurring now. In many respects, the election is already underway. Ballots have been prepared and proofed. Poll workers and other election officials have been trained on processes," the brief said.

Johnson's signature sits in opposition to Attorney General Marty Jackley, who came out in support of the executive order in April and joined the federal court case backing it in September. 

Nikki Gronli, a Democrat who will face Jackley for the state's lone U.S. House of Representatives seat in November, said in a statement Tuesday that "the Trump Administration's rule, supported by my opponent Marty Jackley, would have created significant new requirements for election officials just weeks before Election Day."

South Dakota counties will send out mail-in ballots on Sept. 18 when absentee voting officially opens. 

[South Dakota voter guideWhat South Dakotans need to know about voting in statewide elections, and who and what are on the ballot.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-9b8fb392-24d0-46cc-958d-c1a3b21b14af.jpg)South Dakota News WatchMolly Wetsch![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/thumbnail/2026-06-02-Voting-booths--Sioux-Falls-1-1-1-bbf1f6c4-b3f6-477e-a50b-fa6bd4e415c7.jpg)](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/south-dakota-voter-guide-primary-general-election/)

Other changes to election processes have also occurred at the state level as Gov. Larry Rhoden [signed a bill in March](https://www.sdpb.org/politics/2026-03-26/rhoden-signs-bill-requiring-proof-of-citizenship-to-register-to-vote?ref=sdnewswatch.org) requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. That law only applies to new registrants. 

A lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters against the secretary of state alleges that implementation of that law, which includes registering voters as "federal-only," violates the U.S. Constitution, [according to South Dakota Searchlight](https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2026/09/11/lawyers-argue-over-south-dakotas-notification-letters-to-voters-registered-as-federal-only/?ref=sdnewswatch.org). 

The lawsuit does not question the bill itself but whether letters sent out by the secretary of state's office misled voters and properly informed them how to change their status. 

U.S. District Judge Eric Schulte said in a hearing Friday that he expected to release a decision this week. 

Mann, with the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said that in other states with voter citizenship requirements, like Arizona, the biggest consideration for election officials has been ensuring the documentation process goes smoothly and that those across the state are in consensus about the requirements.

"It doesn't seem to have been a particularly burdensome requirement, especially in the era of Real ID," Mann said. "It does create a logistical burden on the election officials in terms of getting that documentation, retaining that documentation. It's just one more thing that potentially some election officials have to work on."

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**South Dakota News Watch* is an independent nonprofit. *Read*, *subscribe* for free and *donate* at* [*sdnewswatch.org*](http://sdnewswatch.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)*. *Contact* reporter/*[*Report for America*](https://www.reportforamerica.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org) *corps member Molly Wetsch: 605-531-7382/*[*molly.wetsch@sdnewswatch.org*](mailto:molly.wetsch@sdnewswatch.org)*.*