Pre-18 voter registration in
South Dakota
In South Dakota 12,194
people turn 18 every year.
South Dakotans can 
pre-register before turning 18.
To register to vote in South Dakota, you must be: 18 by Jun 2nd, 2026. That means most eligible seniors and some juniors in your high school can register to vote today and vote at 18.
High school students can help one another get ready to vote. 
Next Steps!
How to Register to Vote in South Dakota
Upcoming Elections:
- Jun 2nd, 2026 - South Dakota Primary Election (Register by May 18th, 2026 by mail)
- Nov 3rd, 2026 - South Dakota General Election (Register by Oct 19th, 2026 by mail)
Useful Links:
- Registration Form - Download the paper registration form for South Dakota.
- Registration Status - Check if you are already registered, your polling place, and more from your state’s voter registration website.
- Fair Elections Center - Learn about conducting a registration drive in South Dakota.
- Vote 411 - A nonpartisan resource to help you register, preview your ballot, and find key election information from the League of Women Voters.
- VoteRiders - Find out what forms of ID you can use to register and vote, and get help getting a valid form of ID.
Full Registration Details
By Mail: ID Requirements
When submitting your application by mail in South Dakota, you are required to provide your South Dakota Driver License number or South Dakota Non-Driver ID number. If you do not have a South Dakota-issued ID, you are required to provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers, you can still visit your county auditor's office and complete your voter registration in person. You will you will be asked to sign a statement verifying the fact that you do not have a valid South Dakota driver license, a South Dakota non-driver identification number, or a Social Security number.
By Mail: Eligibility Requirements
To register in South Dakota you must:
be a United States citizen
be a resident of South Dakota for at least thirty days prior to submitting the registration form
be at least 18 years old on or before the next election
not have been judged mentally incompetent by a court
not be currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction which included imprisonment, served or suspended, in an adult penitentiary system
You can find more information on voting rights restoration here.
By Mail: New Voter Instructions
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing this registration application, federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote. Proof of identification includes a current and valid photo identification or current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address. More information here.
More information here.
South Dakota High School Educators!!!
Support your students’ voter registration effort with our free toolkit.
About this information
This page presents a curated compilation of voting and election information, specifically geared toward high school students, their families, and educators.
Information about deadlines and voting laws is retrieved via the Democracy Works Elections API and was last retrieved on Mar 30th, 2026; the API compiles election guidance from official government sources and other vetted data providers, and details may change over time. Information concerning requirements for high schools is based on The Civics Center’s analysis of State Requirements for High School Voter Registration and was last updated on Mar 27th, 2026.
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Information about youth turning 18 each year is from the U.S. Census, and information on the number of 18-year-olds who have not yet registered is based on applying TCC’s analysis of Census data and state voter files. We also provide links to trusted resources, including VoteRiders (for voter ID information) and Fair Elections Center (for information about laws governing voter registration drives).
These pages are offered for guidance only and are not intended as legal advice. Please consult state election officials or an attorney if you have questions about any particular situation. We hope you find this useful. To cite our resources and original research, please provide links and/or cite The Civics Center.
© 2026 The Civics Center
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