The official ballots for absentee voting in South Dakota’s June 2 Primary Election is supposed to begin Friday (April 17, 2026), but ballots won’t be available in Hughes and other counties because ballots have not yet arrived from their printing companies.
While local nominating petitions were due sooner, the deadline for county and state candidates to turn in their petitions to the Secretary of State’s Office was March 31. State election officials drew for the order candidates would be listed on the ballot for their respective races on April 7. After that, counties could do the necessary ballot certification, programming, proofing and printing.
Hughes County Finance Officer Thomas Oliva says his office had to develop 11 different ballot styles and Stanley County Auditor Phil Burtch says she had to prepare 18 different ballots for the June election.
According to news partner KWAT Radio in Watertown, Codington County Auditor Brenda Hanten says Secretary of State Monae Johnson directed counties to be ready to allow people to vote on an alternate ballot that’s yellow in color. She says on election night, county Resolution Boards will need to transfer information from a yellow ballot onto an official white ballot, which can then be counted.
Oliva says once Hughes County ballots are ready, all voters who have submitted an absentee ballot application will have ballots immediately mailed to them and in-person absentee voting will begin at the Auditor’s Office. Until ballots arrive, he encourages voters to:
- submit absentee ballot applications
- confirm voter registration information
- watch for official updates regarding ballot availability
For more information, voters should contact the Auditor’s Office in their county of residence.
Additionally, people not yet registered to vote have until May 18 to get that done in order to be eligible to vote in the June 2 primary.
Candidate forums:
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Thursday, April 23— The Fort Pierre Chamber of Commerce will host a Candidate Forum at the Pat Duffy Community Youth Involved Center in Fort Pierre (19 East Main Street) on Thursday, April 23, 2026, beginning at 6pm CT. All candidates seeking election for Stanley County Sheriff, Stanley County Commission, Fort Pierre Mayor and City Council, District 24 Senate and District 24 House are invited to participate.
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Monday, April 27— The Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce Government Outreach Committee will hold a candidate forum Monday, April 27, 2026, beginning at 6pm CT at the Ramkota Hotel and Convention Center in Pierre. The candidates for Pierre School Board, Pierre Mayor, Hughes County Commission and District 24 House and Senate are all invited.
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