AP Decision Notes: What to expect in South Dakota on Election Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — South Dakota voters will elect leaders for federal, state and other offices on Tuesday. Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 7 p.m. local time, which is 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET. The state spans Central and Mountain time.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in races for U.S. Senate, governor, U.S. House, secretary of state, statewide ballot measures, state Senate, state House, state auditor, Lands Commissioner, Public Utilities Commission and state treasurer.

How many people voted in the last midterm election?

About 348,000 votes were cast in South Dakota’s 2022 race for U.S. Senate.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 29% of all ballots cast in South Dakota’s 2022 election for U.S. Senate were cast early or by absentee ballot. The latest advance vote totals for South Dakota can be found in the AP’s advance vote tracker.

When are early and absentee votes released?

South Dakota counties vary as to when and how they release vote results, but in general most release a mix of results from all vote types throughout the night.

How long does vote counting usually take?

Although South Dakota spans two time zones, state law requires that no results are released until the final polls have closed at 9 p.m. ET. The first results of the 2024 general election were reported starting at 9 p.m. ET as final polls closed. The state reached 50% of votes reporting at 1:45 a.m. ET on Nov. 6, and 90% of votes reporting at 10:05 a.m. ET.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The Associated Press does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

Recounts in South Dakota are automatic only in cases of tie votes. Losing candidates for statewide office may request a recount if the vote margin is 0.25% or less of the total votes cast. Candidates for state legislative and local offices have a higher threshold: 2% or less of the total votes cast. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.