Don't forget to vote today

Megan Raposa -

Happy Tuesday! Megan here.

🗳️It's Election Day! There are soooo many things on the ballot today, and they're all important in shaping the future of the Sioux Falls and broader South Dakota communities.

Already voted? Sweet! No need to keep reading (just check back tomorrow when I'll have election results and also some other very cool local news).

Voting today? I wanted to make sure you had everything you need right at the top of your inbox. Much of this is content you've probably seen before, but elections are just that important! It's worth repeating info if it means more folks get to see it.

  • Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ok, here's your survival guide for the day:

What's on the ballot?

Frankly, a lot. Let's break it down quick.

Statewide races

  • This is where we get the big ones, including U.S. Senator, U.S. House, South Dakota Governor and a handful of other important statewide positions.
  • See a full breakdown here.

Statewide ballot measures

  • There's two – one related to Medicaid expansion (Amendment D) and one related to recreational marijuana (IM 27).
  • See a breakdown of what yes/no votes on each of those mean (and an explanation of the difference between an amendment and an initiated measure) here.

State Legislature races

  • Every legislative district in the state – there are 35 of them – has candidates vying to represent them in Pierre.
  • Sioux Falls Simplified chatted with candidates statewide – find your district, and meet the candidates here.

County-level races

City-level ballot measure

  • If you live in Sioux Falls city limits, you'll also be asked to vote yes or no on a ballot measure related to slaughterhouses.
  • Get some background on the issue here.
  • A 'yes' vote means no new slaughterhouses can be built in Sioux Falls city limits. (It'll also likely mean a further legal battle for Wholestone Farms.)
  • A 'no' vote means no change to city ordinances, and nothing changes from what the rules are now – i.e. no slaughterhouse ban.

How do I know where to vote?

You have to vote at your designated polling place. You can easily find that information by going to the Secretary of State's voter information portal.

  • There you'll find an address for your polling place and your precinct number.
  • You can also look at a sample ballot so you know exactly what to expect when you go in to vote.

What if I'm not registered to vote?

You're out of luck this time.

South Dakota doesn't allow same-day voting, and the registration deadline was Oct. 24. BUT, if you're not registered to vote, it's still worth registering now so you know you're all set next time a big election rolls around.

What do I need to have with me in order to vote?

Nothing – but the process will go quicker for you if you have your ID.

If you don't have an ID, you can still vote. You'll just have to sign an affidavit saying that you're you.

When will we see results?

Ballots take time to count (and one county is counting by hand).

That said, we'll likely know results for some races Tuesday night. But it's possible the final counts won't be in for a day or so.

It's hard to predict when results will be in, and – fair warning – it's also hard to predict outcomes of close races when only a small percentage of ballots have been counted.

If you want to track results as they come in...

...You can do so on the Secretary of State's website.

Also, follow me on Instagram and Twitter (@sfsimplified) throughout the day for updates from the polls and from the ballot counting process.