Officials Advise: New Voters Must now Prove Citizenship

Published by admin on Fri, 04/17/2026 - 7:23am

The deadline for new voter registration, or for existing voters to make changes to their registration, for the June 2 primary election is Monday, May 18.

Information and links to forms to facilitate the process are available on the South Dakota Secretary of State website. Changes to registration can also be made at the county auditor’s office.

A new law impacting new registrants was enacted by the South Dakota Legislature in March. Under the new law, individuals registering to vote in South Dakota must provide documentary proof of citizenship. For South Dakotans who are already registered to vote, no action is required to comply.

Any individual registering to vote for the first time or who has been removed from the state’s voter rolls must provide documentary proof of citizenship. Proof of citizenship can be any one of the following documents:

• A South Dakota driver license or nondriver identification card that was issued after July 1, 2025, and indicates citizenship status on the back of the card

• Another state’s driver license or nondriver identification card that indicates the person has provided sufficient documentation to demonstrate citizenship

• A tribal identification card

• A birth certificate

• A United States passport

• A consular report of birth abroad issued by the United States Department of State

• A certificate of naturalization

• Any other type of acceptable documentary evidence permitted under 42 C.F.R. § 436.407.

The law does not require individuals who are already registered to vote to provide proof of citizenship. If someone is already registered to vote but is updating their information, such as their address or political party affiliation, the law does not require them to present proof of citizenship. An individual who has changed their name, such as a newly married woman, does not need to provide proof of citizenship if they are already registered to vote.

Check current registration status at: https://vip.sdsos.gov/VIPLogin.aspx.

For more information or questions, call or visit the local county auditor.