Polling Place Accessibility
Federal law requires every polling place to be accessible. Here's what South Dakota provides, and who to contact if something isn't working for you.
Your Rights
Getting assistance while voting
- Voters with a disability or physical limitation may ask for assistance directly at the polling place.
- You can contact your County Election Official before Election Day if special arrangements are needed.
- The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requires every polling place used in a federal election to provide a voting device that lets voters with disabilities vote independently and privately.
- If you feel your polling place is inaccessible, contact your County Auditor to report it.
Accessible Equipment
South Dakota's ExpressVote system
How it works
Voters using the ExpressVote receive a paper ballot activator card, which is inserted into the machine to bring up an electronic version of the ballot.
Ballot contests can be enlarged for easier reading, displayed in reverse contrast, or the screen can be turned off entirely for privacy while using attached headphones and a keypad — an audio description can be used alongside or instead of the visual ballot.
Selections are made through the touch screen or keypad, and voters may also bring their own A/B switch to operate the machine. The system flags undervotes and won't allow overvotes, and shows a summary of your selections before anything is finalized. Choosing "Mark Ballot" prints your selections and ejects the activator card.
Another Option
Absentee voting
If you feel you're not able to vote in person on Election Day, you can request an absentee ballot instead and vote from home.
Learn about absentee votingIf your polling place isn't accessible, contact your County Auditor directly, or reach the Secretary of State's office for help. You can also review the current 2026 precinct and polling-place information.