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Voter file data: L2 Data · Registration counts: South Dakota Secretary of State · Updated May 4, 2026

South Dakota Voter Registration

& Party Affiliation Statistics

Total Registered
601,756
Largest Party
Democratic (22.61%)
Independent / NPP
26.23%
Primary Type
Closed Primary
OverviewRegistrationPrimary RulesTurnout
At a Glance

South Dakota at a Glance

Key voter registration statistics · Updated 2026

Registered Voters
601,756
across 66 counties
Registration Rate
83.3%
eligible population
No Party Preference
26.23%
of registered voters
2024 Turnout
64%
of eligible voters
Registration

Voter Registration by Party

How many registered Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are in South Dakota?

22.61%
51.17%
26.23%
Democratic22.61%
Republican51.17%
Independent/Other26.23%
PartyRegistered Voters% of Total
Democratic
136,03122.61%
Republican
307,90051.17%
Independent/Other
157,82526.23%
Primary Rules

How South Dakota's Primary Works

South Dakota uses a Closed Primary system

⚖
Closed Primary
Only voters registered with a political party can vote in that party's primary election. Independent and unaffiliated voters are excluded.
How It Works
Voters must register with a party, often weeks or months before the election, to participate. If you're registered as independent or unaffiliated, you cannot vote in either major party's primary.
IVP's Position
Closed primaries lock millions of independent voters out of the elections that matter most. In many districts, the primary is the only competitive election.
See all primary systems by state →
Turnout

Voter Turnout in South Dakota

How many eligible South Dakota residents actually vote?

Eligible vs Registered
83.3% registered
601,756 registered722,107 eligible
120,351 eligible residents are not registered to vote.
Recent Elections
ElectionTurnoutVoted
2024 General64%436,478
2022 General53.2%354,670
2020 General65.6%427,529
2024 Presidential Primary3%17,931
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