Absentee Voting Delayed in Grant County

Grant County Auditor Kathy Folk confirmed as of Friday afternoon that ballots for the 2026 South Dakota Primary Election had not been delivered to the Grant County Courthouse. Absentee-early voting was to have begun on Friday, April 17.

The problem, however, is not just in Grant County. It’s a state-wide issue. Election Systems and Software (ES&S), the company in Nebraska that prints South Dakota’s ballots, was still pumping out ballots on Friday. A delivery date for each county was not available. 

How did South Dakota get in such a jam?  Time.  On January 1, candidates could begin circulating petitions to get their name on the ballot  The filing deadline was March 31. That allowed 90 days for candidates to gather signatures and complete their petitions. However, it put the pinch on auditors and other county officials who were required to validate or challenge the petitions and then create, proof, print, receive, and finalize the ballots before the early voting was to begin on April 17.

County auditors across the state’s 66 counties had anticipated the time crunch earlier this year and suggested shortening the filing period. Lawmakers fired back that it was too late. They rebuffed the request by citing their own concerns about the legal aspects of changing the date after the filing process had started. Everything proceeded as planned… until it didn’t. County auditors had to begin turning away voters on Friday. 

The tardy ballots are expected to arrive in some areas by the end of this weekend and  early next week in many counties. The most populous, such as Minnehaha and Lincoln (Sioux Falls areas) with 136,000 and 50,000 registered voters respectively, could receive ballots first. However, their entire shipment  will most likely arrive in batches. Once the ballots reach county officials, South Dakota law dictates that auditors have 48 hours to finalize them for voters.

A remedy was put forth to ensure the problem will not be ongoing, although it won’t alleviate the difficulties this year. House Bill 1095 was passed by South Dakota legislators in February and it will become law July 1. Its goal is to clarify the timeline for candidate deadlines in the 2028 Primary Election and beyond. It permanently moves the filing deadline to the third Tuesday in March. That date will fall on March 21 in 2028. It will essentially add 10 days to the preparation time allotted to county auditors after the candidates’ deadline and the day the ballots need to be ready for early voting.

Despite delays, voters still have until June 1 at 5 p.m. to vote early in person. Mailed ballots must be received by the auditor (not postmarked, but received) prior to the close of the polls on the Primary Election Day on June 2.

Just under 5,000 residents are registered to vote in Grant County. Folk says, “Typically eight percent of voters in Grant County choose to vote early.”

Even with ballots MIA, items can still be accomplished and checked off the list of things to do to prepare to vote. Voters are encouraged to register to vote; make changes to voter registration such as name, address, or party affiliation,: or request an absentee ballot.

The deadline to register to vote in South Dakota’s primary is May 18. South Dakota law does not allow voter registration via email. Print the voter registration form —available online. Fill-out the form, sign it, and submit it to the county auditor. Your voter registration form with an original signature must be received by the auditor 15 days before any election.

You can also register to vote at these locations:

• Your county auditor’s office (At the Grant County Courthouse in Milbank and the Roberts County Courthouse in Sisseton.)
• Driver’s license station (when you are renewing or applying for a driver’s license you can also register to vote on the driver’s license application
• City Finance Office
• Public assistance agencies providing food stamps, TANF, or WIC
• Department of Human Services offices which provide assistance to the disabled
• Military recruitment offices

Request an absentee ballot: (1) Call your county auditor’s office or (2) make your request online. The South Dakota Absentee Ballot Application Form can be accessed through this linked page.  

There is only one Democratic legislative primary in the state. District 26 that includes the Rosebud Reservation has a state Senate race. There are no statewide Democratic primaries. . 

Need election information or have a question? Call the Grant County Auditor’s office at 605.432.6711,  the Roberts County Auditor at 605.698.7336, or the South Dakota Secretary of State at 605.773.3537.