A voter desiring to vote by mail may apply to the person in charge of the election for an absentee ballot. The application or request must be made in writing, signed by the applicant, and must contain the applicant’s voter registration address. The application or request must contain an oath verifying the validity of the information in the application or request. The oath must be administered by a notary public or other officer authorized by this state to administer an oath or administered by an out-of-state notary public. If the application or request does not contain an oath, the application or request must be accompanied by a copy of the voter’s identification card as required by § 12-18-6.1. The copy of the voter’s identification card must be maintained by the person in charge of the election pursuant to § 12-20-31. The voter’s identification card is not available for public inspection. The application or request may be used to obtain an absentee ballot for all elections in that calendar year conducted by the jurisdiction receiving the application or request if so indicated. The ballot must be sent to the voter’s residence, as shown in the voter registration file or any temporary residence address designated in writing by the voter, at the time of applying for the absentee ballot. If the application or request is from a voter identified as being covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. § 20301 et seq., as of January 1, 2023, the voter may designate on the application for the ballot to be sent electronically pursuant to this section through the system provided by the Office of the Secretary of State. The person in charge of the election shall stamp the application with the date it was received. The person in charge of the election shall preserve a record of the name, mailing address, and voting precinct of each applicant and, except as provided by § 12-19-45, deliver a copy of the record to the superintendent of the election board of the home precinct of the applicant.

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Source: SDC 1939, § 16.0606; SL 1944 (SS), ch 2, § 3; SL 1957, ch 85, §§ 2, 3; SDC Supp 1960, §§ 16.0611, 16.0612; SL 1963, ch 110, § 1; SL 1964, ch 59; SL 1967, ch 72; SDCL §§ 12-19-22, 12-19-24, 12-19-25; SL 1974, ch 118, § 134; SL 1976, ch 105, § 61; SL 1976, ch 108, § 10; SL 1980, ch 115, § 2; SL 1983, ch 113; SL 1984, ch 111; SL 1988, ch 132; SL 1992, ch 115, § 1; SL 1993, ch 116, § 2; SL 2002, ch 40, § 18; SL 2003, ch 82, § 3; SL 2003, ch 83, § 14; SL 2004, ch 109, § 1; SL 2006, ch 72, § 1; SL 2010, ch 74, § 14; SL 2014, ch 72, § 1, eff. Feb. 19, 2014; SL 2017, ch 2, § 5; SL 2023, ch 51, § 1.