South Dakota is a trailblazer for democracy. From our citizen-initiated measures to our citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, our state is a prime example that We the People have the power.
But in recent years, elected leaders have passed laws driven by political posturing and fearmongering under the guise of “restoring faith in our elections.” Instead of improving trust in elections, these laws have created confusion and significant barriers for voters. From voter registration and absentee ballot access to challenges over voter qualifications, we’ve heard directly from scores of South Dakotans struggling to navigate these changes through countless calls and emails.
That’s what made our election safeguarding work so important this year.
For years, the ACLU has been engaged in election protection efforts. We have been committed to ensuring that voters are informed of their rights, prepared to participate in the electoral process, and equipped to take the appropriate steps to ensure that their votes are properly cast and counted on Election Day
This year was no different. Ahead of the election, we hosted numerous events throughout the state designed to combat confusion by educating voters about their voting rights. From Sioux Falls to Rapid City, we empowered voters to feel confident at the polls by educating them on the voter registration process, identification requirements, and new election laws that have changed the landscape of voting access.
Our efforts to inform voters of their rights didn’t stop there. Our team participated in dozens of interviews with local journalists to spread the word on voting rights and requirements, which resulted in more than 50 mentions of the ACLU’s election safeguarding work in local media. Through our community on social media, our voting rights content reached over 63,000 people this election season.
We also put in the work to make sure every eligible voter had access to the ballot box. ACLU of South Dakota volunteers contacted hundreds of federal voters to inform them of their registration status and the process required to remedy it before the voter registration deadline. Our legal team in Rapid City and Sioux Falls also actively monitored complaints made to the voting hotline.
On Election Day, we deployed 50 volunteer election observers in Aberdeen, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls to monitor polling places and counting rooms for issues affecting voters, to help identify potential barriers to voting, and to document problems that may require attention in future elections. Our team of election observers volunteered for a collective total of 166 hours on Election Day. Those hours were well spent. Within the first few hours of the polls being opened, for example, a few of those volunteers were able to help a voter secure a provisional ballot when they otherwise would have been turned away from the polls.
That kind of work doesn’t get a victory party on Election Night, but it matters just as much as any campaign. Democracy depends on people who show up for the process itself, not just a particular outcome. Despite efforts from the current administration to sow chaos and fear into this election across the country and efforts from our state lawmakers to follow suit, Election Day was relatively uneventful in South Dakota. That’s because this work matters. Our elections are safe and secure, and 2026 was no different.
The closing of the polls, however, does not mean an end to our election protection work.
We’re still asking the state to remove the in-person presentation requirement for state-issued and tribal IDs during voter registration and to accept photocopies of these documents, allowing voters to register by mail or through voter registration drives — especially since photocopies of other documents, such as birth certificates and passports, are already accepted. In January, we’ll lobby the state legislature to repeal other barriers to voter registration and voting.
We’ll continue challenging unnecessary barriers to vote and holding politicians accountable, while voters focus on the most important thing they can do this year: exercise their rights.
A strong democracy depends on all voters having fair and equal access to the ballot. When every voice is heard, our democracy is fairer and more representative of the people. We protect the right to vote so that all South Dakotans have an equal say in the decisions that shape our future.
Ready to get involved? Check out our advocacy resources to learn how you can advocate for your voting rights, and be sure to follow us on social media and sign up for our news alters below to receive the lates information on civil liberties in South Dakota.
