2018 Election History

2018 Election Information

2018 Election Information

Date of South Dakota's 2018 Primary Election - June 5, 2018
Voter Registration Deadline - May 21, 2018
Absentee voting begins - April 20, 2018

Absentee Ballots Requested: 23,146
Absentee Ballots Received: 22,048
Ballots Rejected: 59

Registered Voters for the June Primary: 530,890
Ballots cast for the June Primary: 141,044
Voter Turnout: 26.57%

Date of South Dakota's 2018 General Election - November 6, 2018
Voter Registration Deadline - October 22, 2018
Absentee voting begins - September 21, 2018

Absentee Ballots Requested: 92,238
Absentee Ballots Received: 89,329
Ballots Rejected: 307

Registered Voters for the General Election: 545,308
Ballots cast for the General Election: 341,048
Voter Turnout: 64.89%

2018 Election Calendar

Official General Election Results with County Certifications

• Aurora - Davison
• Day - Hutchinson
• Hyde - Miner
• Minnehaha - Ziebach

Unofficial 2018 General Election Results

2018 General Election Official Results State Canvass

2018 General Election Official Results State Canvass - Recount

• Recount - State Senate District 12
• Recount - House District 9
• Recount - House District 25
• Recount - House District 27

2018 General Election Candidate List

Unofficial 2018 Primary Election Results

2018 Primary Election Official Results State Canvass

2018 Primary Election Candidate List

2018 Ballot Question Information

2018 Candidate Calendar

• January 1, 2018
  • Primary Election and Independent candidates may begin circulating petitions.
• Statement of Organization is due 15 days after becoming a candidate. The candidate committees that have not already filed a statement of organization, must file not later than 15 days after the date upon which the committee made contributions, received contributions or paid expenses in excess of $500 unless such activity falls within 30 days of any statewide election, in which case the statement of organization shall be filed within 48 hours.
• Current elected officials must file an Elected Official FIS no later than January 1. 
  Click here for more information.
• January 26, 2018
• 2017 Year-End Campaign Finance Report is due by 5:00 pm CT 
• County Party and Auxiliary Committees no longer have to file a year-end report.
• File this report online or print paper reports from here: https://sdcfr.sdsos.gov/ 
• Petition filing deadlines:
• March 27, 2018 for Primary Election candidates
• April 24, 2018 for Independent candidates
• Candidate Financial Interest Statements (FIS) must be filed within 15 days after filing in the office where the candidate nominating petition or convention nomination certification was filed.
• May 21, 2018
  • Pre-Primary Campaign Finance Report is due by 5:00 pm CT (if you are a legislative candidate and your name does not appear on the Primary ballot you are not required to file this report; all statewide candidates including independent statewide candidates have to file this report whether or not their name is printed on the Primary ballot).
• County Party and Auxiliary Committees no longer have to file a pre-primary report.
• June 5, 2018
  • Primary Election
• October 22, 2018
  • Pre-General Campaign Finance Report is due by 5:00 pm CT.
• November 6, 2018
  • General Election
• January 2019: Elected Official Oath of Office & Financial Interest Statement must be filed in the office where the candidate nominating petition or convention nomination certification was filed within 15 days after taking your oath of office.
• January 25, 2019
  • 2018 Year End Campaign Finance Reportis due by 5:00 pm CT.

* All petitions and campaign finance reports that are filed with the Secretary of State are due by 5:00 pm CT on the deadline day.

Offices to be filled in the 2018 Elections

The following nominations are made in the closed party primary elections held on June 5, 2018:

• U.S. Representative - 2 year term
• Governor - 4 year term
• 105 Legislators (35 Senate, 70 House) - 2 year term
• County Commissioners - 4 year term
• County Auditor  - 4 year term
• County Sherriff  - 4 year term
• Register of Deeds - 4 year term
• Delegates to State Party Conventions (only if designated to be elected at a Primary Election in the party's bylaws) - 2 year term
• Precinct Committeeman and Committeewoman (only if designated to be elected at a Primary Election in the party's bylaws) - 2 year term

The following will be nominated at the 2018 state conventions of each political party:

• Lieutenant Governor - 4 year term
• Public Utilities Commissioner - 6 year term
• Attorney General - 4 year term
• Secretary of State - 4 year term
• State Auditor - 4 year term
• State Treasurer - 4 year term
• Commissioner of School and Public Lands - 4 year term

• Retention Election, South Dakota Supreme Court Justice- 8 year term

In those areas of the state which have the following types of districts, nominations are made in a nonpartisan primary election:

• Water Development District Directors - 4 year term
  • If three or more candidate petitions are received then they will be voted on in the Primary election ballot.
  • If two or less candidate petitions are received then those names will automatically go on the General election ballot.
• Heartland Consumer Power District Directors - 6 year term

In those areas of the state which have the following types of districts, nominations are made in the general election.

• Conservation District Supervisor - 4 year term

Number of Signers Required for Candidate Petitions in 2018

2018 Offices to be filled - Number of Signatures Required

2018 Legislative Candidate - Number of Signatures Required

2018 County Offices - Number of Signatures Required

How to Circulate a 2018 Nominating Petition for Statewide, Legislative and County Candidates

How to Circulate a 2018 Nominating Petition for Statewide, Legislative and County Candidates

This documents contains information on the following:

- Circulator and Notary requirements and information

- Offices to be filled in the 2018 Primary and General Elections

- Deadlines to file petitions

- Number of signatures required

2018 General Election Ballot Question Informational Pamphlet

2018 General Election Ballot Question Informational Pamphlet

Listen to the 2018 General Election Ballot Question Pamphlet

2018 Primary Election Ballot Question Informational Pamphlet

2018 Primary Election Ballot Question Informational Pamphlet

Listen to the 2018 Primary Election Ballot Question Pamphlet
 

2018 Election Precincts & Polling Places

Recognized Political Parties During the 2018 Election Cycle

Constitution Party of South Dakota - Constitution party became a recognized party on March 31, 2016. By statutes SDCL 12-5-1.5 and 12-1-3, the Constitution Party lost party status on November 14, 2018.

Party By-Laws
Amendments to the By-Laws
Amendments to the By-Laws

South Dakota Democratic Party
PO Box 1485
Sioux Falls, SD 57101
Phone 605-271-5405
Fax 605-271-5405
info@sddp.org
www.sddp.org
Party Constitution

South Dakota Libertarian Party - Libertarian party became a recognized party on June 17, 2016.
609 Kent Street
Harrisburg, SD 57032
Phone 605-203-1061
info@lpsouthdakota.org 
https://lpsouthdakota.org/
Party By-Laws

South Dakota Republican Party
PO Box 1099
Pierre SD 57501
Phone 605-610-1479
dan@southdakotagop.com
www.sdgop.com
Party By-Laws

2018 Political Party State Conventions and Certification of Nominated Candidates

South Dakota Constitution Party

July 14, 2018 at 3:00 pm in the Ballroom of the American Legion Post #15
located at 1701 West Legion Drive in Sioux Falls, SD

Alternative Writ of Prohibition - Filed August 3, 2018 Hughes County Circuit Court
Judgment Granting Peremptory Writ of Prohibition - Filed August 21, 2018 Hughes County Circuit Court

South Dakota Democratic Party
August 10, 2018 at the Icon Event Hall
402 N. Main Ave., Sioux Falls, SD
South Dakota Democratic Party State Convention
SD Republican Party letter challenging SD Democratic Party convention nominees
Certificate of Candidates
June 15 & 16 in Sioux Falls at the Sioux Falls Convention Center
Certification of Candidates

South Dakota Libertarian Party
June 9, 2018 in Pierre, SD
Certification of Candidates
April 14th, 2018 at 5:00 PM at the Club House Inn and Suites Hotel
2320 South Louise Ave., Sioux Falls.
Certification of Candidates

South Dakota Republican Party
June 20-23, 2018 at the Pierre Ramkota Convention Center
Certification of Candidates

*Additional political party convention information will be posted once we receive notification from the respective parties.

The Constitution Party of South Dakota, the South Dakota Libertarian Party and any other new political party that becomes a recognized party for the 2018 election cycle are allowed to nominate their statewide and legislative candidates (including those listed in SDCL 12-5-21) at their state party convention which include candidates for: US House, Governor and the Legislature. 

Date of South Dakota's 2018 Primary Election - June 5, 2018
Voter Registration Deadline - May 21, 2018
Absentee voting begins - April 20, 2018
Click here for an illustration on who can vote for what ballot in the Primary Election

Date of South Dakota's 2018 General Election - November 6, 2018
Voter Registration Deadline - October 22, 2018
Absentee voting begins - September 21, 2018

2018 Information on South Dakota Elections Handbook
*The information in red above has not been updated in this handbook.