Election Information

Notice of Vacancy

The following offices will become vacant due to the expiration of the present term of office of the elective officer:

• One Council person, Ward One – 1 year term (vacancy)
• One Council person, Ward One – 2 year term (Beavers)
• One Council person, Ward Two – 2 year term (Parks)
• One Council person, Ward Three – 2 year term (Headid)
• One Council person, Ward Four – 2 year term (Christiansen)

Nominating petitions are available at City Hall on Friday, January 27, 2012, and cannot be circulated prior to 27th. Completed petitions are to be filed with the Finance Officer at City Hall, located at 504 River Drive between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. central standard time no later than Friday, February 24, 2012.

Tonya Rubida
Finance Officer

Key Dates

January 27 - First day for Petition Circulation
February 24 - Nominating Petitions returned by 5 p.m.
March 26 - Absentee ballots available
March 26 - Last day to register to vote, Forms turned in by 5 p.m. will be included
April 10 - Election Day

Voter Registration

The deadline for voter registration is 15 days before any election. Your registration card must be received by the Auditor by this deadline to vote in the next election. Registration cards postmarked on the 15th day do not qualify as being received by the deadline.

You can register to vote if you:

- are a citizen of the United States
- are 18 years of age or older on the next election day
- are a resident of South Dakota
- are not under a sentence of imprisonment for any felony conviction
- have not been judged mentally incompetent by a court of law

Voter registration forms are available at City Hall, or you can download and print a registration form by selecting the link on the right.

For any other questions regarding South Dakota Elections and Voter Registration, please visit the Secretary of State website.

You may register at any of the following locations:

• Union County Auditor's Office, 209 E Main Street, Elk Point, SD
• City Finance Office, 504 River Drive, North Sioux City, SD

In addition, you may register to vote at locations which provide the
following services:

• Driver's Licenses
• Food Stamps
• Aid to Families with Dependent Children
• Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program (WIC)
• Department of Human Services offices which provide assistance to the disabled
• Military Recruitment

For additional information contact the Union County Auditor's office at 605-356-2101 or http://unioncountysd.org/auditor/.

Identification at the Polls

All voters are required to provide identification before voting or obtaining an absentee ballot. The personal identification that may be presented shall either be:

• A South Dakota driver's license or non-driver identification card
• A passport or an identification card, including a picture, issued by an agency of the US government
• A tribal identification card, including a picture; or
• An identification card, including a picture, issued by an accredited institution of higher education, including a university, college, or technical school, located within the State of South Dakota.

If a voter is not able to present personal identification, the voter may complete an affidavit in lieu of the personal identification.

Absentee Voting

• Military and Overseas Citizen's (only)
• Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot. Voters do not need to provide a reason in order to absentee vote. Absentee ballots are available 15 days prior to the election.

An absentee voter desiring to vote by mail may apply to the person in charge of the election for an absentee ballot. The application shall be made in writing and be signed by the applicant and state the applicant's voter registration address. The application shall contain an oath verifying the information contained in the application. The oath shall be administered by a notary public or other officer authorized by statute to administer an oath.

Kids Voting

South Dakota is a nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to building a more informed generation of voters and providing an exciting and useful year-round civic education program for all South Dakota students. To learn more, go to their website here.