12-14-1
Designation of precincts and polling places by county commissioners--Changes--Separate voter lists of special voting districts.
12-14-1.1
Notice to county auditor of boundary change for local election.
12-14-2
Boundaries to be clearly defined in resolution.
12-14-3
Repealed.
12-14-4
Adjustment in size of precincts--Unreasonable waiting time.
12-14-5 to 12-14-8.
Repealed.
12-14-9
Location of polling places.
12-14-10
Repealed.
12-14-11
Repealed.
12-14-12
Repealed.
12-14-13
Display of flag at polling places at election.
12-14-14
Sign to identify polling place on election day.
12-14-15
Change in precinct boundary or polling place.
12-14-16
Campaign signs at nonpublicly-owned polling place.
12-14-17
Vote centers.
12-14-1. Designation of precincts and polling places by county commissioners--Changes--Separate voter lists of special voting districts.
The board of county commissioners shall by resolution provide for election precincts throughout its county and shall designate polling places within such precincts. The board shall establish new election precincts if required by the provisions of this chapter and may by resolution change the boundaries of election precincts already established. The county auditor shall be able to provide separate lists of voters living within the boundaries of each municipality, ward, school district, and any other special voting district.
Source: SDC 1939, § 16.0801; SL 1959, ch 94; SL 1974, ch 118, § 60; SL 1978, ch 101, § 1; SL 2002, ch 40, § 15.
12-14-1.1. Notice to county auditor of boundary change for local election.
The official in charge of a local election shall notify the county auditor at least forty-five days before a local election if any external boundary changes have been made for the precinct, ward, or representation area. In even numbered years, the official in charge of a local election shall notify the county auditor at least one hundred days before the primary election and at least one hundred days before the general election if any external boundary changes have been made.
Source: SL 1974, ch 118, § 14; SL 2010, ch 74, § 12; SL 2017, ch 68, § 5.
12-14-2. Boundaries to be clearly defined in resolution.
The resolution of the board of county commissioners establishing new precincts or making any change in precincts already established shall clearly set forth and define the boundaries of the election precincts established or altered.
Source: SL 1915, ch 184, § 1; RC 1919, § 7231; SL 1919, ch 186, § 2; SDC 1939, § 16.0801; SL 1959, ch 94; SL 1974, ch 118, § 61.
12-14-4. Adjustment in size of precincts--Unreasonable waiting time.
In all precincts the board of county commissioners shall adjust the size of any precinct at which there was unreasonable waiting time imposed upon the voters at the last preceding general election. Under ordinary circumstances, more than thirty minutes waiting time is deemed unreasonable waiting time except at the time when the polls close.
Source: SDC 1939, § 16.0801 (1); SL 1959, ch 94; SL 1968, ch 78; SL 1974, ch 118, § 62; SL 1976, ch 105, § 31; SL 1996, ch 94, § 3.
12-14-9. Location of polling places.
Polling places shall be selected with reference to the convenience of the voters in the various election precincts, and should be as near the center of the election precincts as practicable but if in their judgment the convenience of the voters will be served thereby or if communication can be thereby made available, the polling place may be located outside the boundaries of the precinct.
Source: SL 1911, ch 146; SL 1913, ch 204, § 1; SL 1915, ch 184, § 1; SL 1918 (SS), ch 47; RC 1919, § 7231; SL 1919, ch 186, § 2; SL 1933, ch 103, § 2; SL 1935, ch 110, § 2; SDC 1939, § 16.0801 (6); SL 1959, ch 94; SL 1967, ch 73; SL 1968, ch 80; SL 1970, ch 89; SL 1974, ch 118, § 63.
12-14-13. Display of flag at polling places at election.
The American flag shall be displayed inside or outside of all polling places within this state at each election.
Source: SL 1987, ch 122.
12-14-14. Sign to identify polling place on election day.
On election day a sign, with a minimum size of eleven inches by seventeen inches, shall be conspicuously displayed outside of the entrance to any building in which a polling place is located to clearly identify the building as a polling place.
Source: SL 2007, ch 79, § 1.
12-14-15. Change in precinct boundary or polling place.
No precinct boundary or polling place may be changed after the publication of the first notice of election is published as provided in § 12-12-1. If a designated polling place is destroyed or becomes otherwise physically unusable as a polling place after the first notice of election is published, the county auditor shall recommend a new polling place to be approved by the board of county commissioners. The approval of the new polling place may be made by the board of county commissioners during a conference call meeting.
Notice of the new polling place shall be conspicuously posted at the old polling place location. The county auditor shall also provide notice through the local print and broadcast media. The notice shall be sufficient to reasonably inform the affected voters of the change in polling place location or the county auditor shall mail a notice, if possible, no later than three days prior to the election, to each registered voter assigned to the affected polling place.
Source: SL 2007, ch 73, § 1.
12-14-16. Campaign signs at nonpublicly-owned polling place.
If any nonpublicly-owned building is used as a polling place, the building owner may designate whether campaign signs will be allowed on the building's premises outside the area defined in § 12-18-3 on election day. If campaign signs are allowed, the building owner may not prohibit signs from any particular campaign.
Source: SL 2007, ch 73, § 2.
12-14-17. Vote centers.
Notwithstanding any other law, a jurisdiction may conduct an election using vote centers in accordance with this section. The election shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable election laws and rules other than:
(1) The jurisdiction may use vote centers that allow voters in the jurisdiction to vote at any of the vote centers in lieu of establishing precincts and wards for the election;
(2) Any person who is registered to vote and living in the jurisdiction may be appointed as a polling place superintendent or deputy to any of the vote centers;
(3) Secure, encrypted electronic pollbooks shall be used in lieu of paper registration books;
(4) The entire jurisdiction is designated as one voting precinct for the election; and
(5) Any jurisdiction that uses vote centers shall provide a printed paper voter registration list and a printed and bound paper pollbook to each vote center prior to the opening of the polls.
Source: SL 2012, ch 84, § 1, eff. Feb. 23, 2012; SL 2016, ch 77, § 2; SL 2019, ch 75, § 1.
