Any ballot mailed or delivered to absentee voters must include the following instructions:

TO THE VOTER:

 Mark your ballot privately.

 Fill in the oval next to the name or ballot question using a black ink pen. Do not use a felt tip pen or marker.

 (Insertastatementindicatinghowmanytimestheballotshouldbefolded).

 Place your ballot in the return envelope and seal the envelope securely.

 Complete and (bold) SIGN (bold) the statement on the back of the return envelope.

 Mail the ballot (votermustpayforpostagetomailtheballotunlessthevoteriscoveredundertheUOCAVAact), deliver the ballot in person, or have an absentee ballot messenger deliver it for you to the person in charge of the election. (bold) Do not return absentee ballot to your polling place (unbold).

 The ballot must be received by the person in charge of the election in time to transmit it to your precinct polling place before the polls close on election day.

 Additional information on absentee voting is available at www.sdsos.gov.

Source: 2 SDR 46, effective December 30, 1975; 5 SDR 31, effective November 1, 1978; 6 SDR 25, effective September 24, 1979; 8 SDR 24, effective September 16, 1981; 10 SDR 27, effective September 26, 1983; 12 SDR 43, effective September 23, 1985; 19 SDR 12, effective August 5, 1992; 31 SDR 35, effective September 23, 2004; 32 SDR 225, effective July 3, 2006; 35 SDR 306, effective July 1, 2009; 36 SDR 112, effective January 11, 2010 ; 45 SDR 9, effective July 30, 2018 ; 50 SDR 66, effective December 5, 2023; 51 SDR 141, effective July 1, 2025.

General Authority: SDCL 12-1-9 (9).

Law Implemented: SDCL 12-19-4 , 12-19-5 , 12-19-7 .

Prior versions effective: 2023-12-05, 2018-07-30, 2010-01-11.