12-19-7. Marking and folding ballot--Officer before whom marked--Mailing or delivering ballot.

A voter voting an absentee ballot shall mark it and fold it without revealing the marks to any other person. The voter shall place the voted ballots in the return envelope provided and seal the envelope. The voter shall sign the statement on the return envelope. The voter shall return the ballot to the office of the person in charge of the election by:

(1)    Mailing the ballot;

(2)    Delivering the ballot in person; or

(3)    Providing the ballot to an absentee ballot messenger to deliver the ballot in person as prescribed by this chapter.

Source: SL 1913, ch 200, § 2; SL 1917, ch 233, § 2; SL 1918 (SS), ch 45; RC 1919, § 7227; SL 1925, ch 159, § 2; SL 1929, ch 114, § 1; SDC 1939, § 16.0607; SL 1944 (SS), ch 2, § 5; SL 1953, ch 75, § 4; SL 1957, ch 85, § 5; SDC Supp 1960, § 16.0614; SL 1963, ch 110, § 2; SDCL, § 12-19-29; SL 1972, ch 90, § 2; SL 1974, ch 118, § 138; SL 1976, ch 105, § 64; SL 1983, ch 115; SL 1985, ch 115; SL 1992, ch 115, § 3; SL 2023, ch 51, § 7.

12-19-7.1. Candidates and election officials not to serve as authorized messenger--Violation as misdemeanor.

No person who is a candidate for any elective office, except for political party offices described in § 12-5-2 or county auditor or such deputy, at the election for which the ballot or ballots are to be voted, may serve as an authorized messenger. A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Source: SL 1972, ch 90, § 5; SL 1976, ch 105, § 65; SL 1992, ch 115, § 4; SL 2023, ch 51, § 8.

12-19-7.2. Display of campaign material by messenger as misdemeanor.

No authorized messenger may, in the presence of the voter at or before the time of voting, display campaign posters, signs, or other campaign materials or by any like means solicit any votes for or against any person, political party, or position on a question submitted. A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Source: SL 1984, ch 112; SL 1992, ch 115, § 5.