Protecting Your Vote
Every ballot,
verified.
South Dakota's elections are secure, tested, and audited at every step. This page explains the safeguards in place, the threats we track, and how you can separate fact from disinformation.
Our number one job is to conduct fair and accurate elections for the citizens of South Dakota — and we remain proud of our role at the forefront of election security and post-election auditing.Monae L. Johnson · South Dakota Secretary of State & Chief Election Officer
Trusted Sources
Opinions are fun. Facts are better.
The Secretary of State's Office and your 66 county auditors are the official, verified sources of election information in South Dakota. When something you read online doesn't match what these sources say, that's your signal to check again.
sdsos.gov
The official home for registration status, ballot tracking, candidate lists, and election calendars statewide.
Visit the Secretary of State →Your County Auditor
Auditors run election day operations locally and can answer precinct-specific questions directly.
Find your county auditor →CISA
The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency partners with states to harden election systems against attack.
CISA election security →Election Assistance Commission
The EAC sets voluntary voting system standards and supports election administration nationwide.
Visit the EAC →Myth vs. Fact
A running, plain-language rebuttal of the most common election claims circulating in South Dakota.
Read Myth vs. Fact →Election FAQs
Straight answers on registration, absentee voting, polling places, and more.
Browse the FAQ →Know the Threat Landscape
Bad actors, foreign and domestic, target confidence — not just systems.
South Dakota's election infrastructure is difficult to compromise directly. So adversaries increasingly target something softer: your trust. Recognizing the pattern is the first defense.
State-sponsored disinformation
Russia, China, Iran, and other foreign actors regularly amplify false claims about voter fraud, "dirty" voter rolls, and mail ballots. Their systems can't easily be breached, so the goal shifts to eroding confidence in results instead.
Read more on foreign threats →Homegrown intimidation and false rhetoric
Extreme groups within the U.S. and South Dakota increasingly work to undermine election legitimacy through targeted misinformation campaigns and intimidation aimed at officials and workers.
Threats against election workers are real and ongoing
State and local officials have testified to Congress about rising threats to election administration nationwide, including "swatting" incidents targeting workers at home.
Swatting prevention guidance (PDF) →How Your Vote Is Protected
Elections can't be stolen quietly — audits and recounts make sure of it.
Every ballot moves through a chain of custody with built-in, bipartisan checks. Here's the sequence that happens around every South Dakota election, in order.
Equipment tested publicly
Counties test voting equipment before every election in sessions open to the public. Review the 2026 election equipment, electronic pollbook, and vote-center information.
Ballots cast & secured
Bipartisan poll workers — your neighbors, teachers, and veterans — staff every polling location.
Post-election audit
Counties run an extensive audit of every primary and general election to confirm accuracy.
Automatic recounts
South Dakota law automatically triggers a recount whenever a contest is within the legal margin.
Results certified
Checks and balances at every stage mean certified results reflect the will of South Dakota voters.
The Short Version
What to hold onto when the noise gets loud
- Primary and general elections require poll workers from different party affiliations, working side by side.
- Every county publicly tests its voting equipment before ballots are ever cast.
- A post-election audit checks the accuracy of every primary and general election.
- State law automatically triggers a recount in close contests — no request required.
- Disinformation campaigns aim to make you doubt results, not to change them.
Go Deeper
Documents, testimony, and further reading
Secure Elections Guide
A full brochure walking through South Dakota's election security measures.
Download the guide (PDF) →Secure Elections One-Pager
A quick-reference summary you can print or share.
Download the one-pager (PDF) →Remain Vigilant
The Secretary of State's reminder to voters on spotting and reporting disinformation.
Read the notice →Congressional Testimony
State and local election officials testified before the U.S. Senate on ongoing threats to election administration.
View the hearing →Post-Election Audits
Details on how South Dakota's county-level audit process works after every election.
Learn about audits →County Auditor Directory
Contact information for every county auditor in South Dakota.
Find your auditor →Get Involved
See something questionable? Ask before you share it.
Check claims against sdsos.gov or your county auditor before passing them along — and request public records directly if you want to see the process yourself.
Request Public Records