Get Out the Vote, South Dakota!

For decades, the ACLU of South Dakota has activated members and supporters to vote in state and local elections.

In an effort to increase eligible voter participation in LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit, Indigenous and communities of color, we’ve put together downloadable and digitally shareable Get Out the Vote kits with resources and printables to educate your peers on their voting rights and help them get registered ahead of Election Day.  

We believe it is the duty of registered and eligible voters in South Dakota to forge equitable paths for their peers who may not be able to make their voice heard at the ballot box. That means showing up on Election Day or voting absentee starting on Sept. 18, 2020. In doing so, we can address and undo decades of deeply rooted tactics aimed to suppress voters in various communities. To get your work started in the right direction, scroll through our checklist and download the kit. Please email us at southdakota@aclu.org if you have any questions.

SOUTH DAKOTA VOTER CHECKLIST

REGISTER TO VOTE

If you’re already registered, double check that your voter file is still active and update your registration if you’ve moved or your name has changed.

Remind your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors to get registered to vote! We all have that friend who just isn’t into politics or a family member who just turned 18. Guess what? You can help them see the impact of their vote! Encourage them to pledge to vote with you this election and then remind a friend or two to do the same. While in-person engagement efforts might be difficult or impossible right now, you can still help new voters in your community register to vote by sharing voter information with them via text message, email, or social media.

Spread the information on this page with your community! Share this page digitally through social media, text, email, or in person and do so as often as you can.

Support local organizations in their Get Out The Vote efforts, or host your own voter engagement event virtually or in-person at a safe distance! Whether it’s volunteering to plan or participate in a voter registration drive, offering to help your local organizations translate existing materials into additional languages, helping with virtual voter education events, or simply lifting up efforts through social media, we each have a duty to empower our community. 

PLEDGE TO VOTE

Make sure to encourage your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors to do the same by tagging them on social media or texting them today. 

Better understand the election process in your state and how lawmakers once elected, impact your community. The 2020 General Election will be held on Nov. 3 in South Dakota, but the voting process – including deadlines, options, and potential barriers can be hard to track. Check in with your county auditor to familiarize yourself with election related information and deadlines.

Develop your plan to vote! Will you be voting absentee or in person? Will you vote on Election Day? Will you volunteer as a precinct worker? Whatever your plan comes down to, consider adding reminders of upcoming deadlines to your calendar, and pick three friends, family members, colleagues, or neighbors who might otherwise not vote, and encourage them to put together their own voting plan. (You could even share yours for them to model off of!) 

Elevate your voice on social media to hold your peers accountable! In particular, we encourage you to support and embolden LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit South Dakotans, Indigenous communities, disability communities, and communities of color to get to the polls. We want to make sure that the experiences, needs, and concerns of all marginalized communities are heard and understood on Election Day. Amplify this message and use the hashtag #voteOUT on all of your social media channels. To get started, share our video with the hashtag along with your reason(s) to vote! 

SHOW UP ON ELECTION DAY OR VOTE ABSENTEE

Whether voting early in person at your county auditor’s office, absentee, or on Nov. 3, follow through on your plan to vote and remind your peers to do the same. Keep our voting rights guide handy while you’re in line and in the voting booth. 

If you have problems voting or have additional questions, please call the national, non-partisan Election Protection hotline:

  • English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)
  • Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682)
  • Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US (1-844-925-5287)
  • Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683