Registration counts: Voter Count · Updated October 30, 2026

South Dakota Voter Registration

& Party Affiliation Statistics

Total Registered

605,126

Largest Party

Republican (52.68%)

Independent / NPP

25.07%

Primary Type

Closed Primary

Overview Registration Primary Rules Turnout

All data provided by

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The only AI tool connected to L2’s industry-leading national voter file.

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At a Glance

South Dakota at a Glance

Key voter registration statistics · Updated 2026

Registered Voters

605,126

across 66 counties

Independent / NPP

151.7K

25.07% of registered

2024 Turnout

64.5%

of eligible voters

South Dakota's most independent county (of its 5 largest): Minnehaha, 29.8% vs. 25.1% statewide

29.81% of voters in Minnehaha County are registered independents, compared with 25.07% across South Dakota. That's the highest share among South Dakota's five largest counties.

Answered directly from the voter file with Voter Count

Registration

Voter Registration by Party

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

21.7%

52.7%

25.1%

Democratic21.7%

Republican52.7%

Independent25.1%

Other0.6%

Party	Registered Voters	% of Total
Democratic	131,077	21.7%
Republican	318,792	52.7%
Independent	151,721	25.1%
Other	3,536	0.6%

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?

Recent Elections

Election	Turnout	Voted
2024 General	64.5%	436,478
2022 General	53.2%	354,670
2020 General	65.6%	427,529
2024 Presidential Primary	3.0%	17,931

Primary turnout figures reflect all voters regardless of party registration. Source: each state’s Secretary of State Statement of Vote.

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All data provided by

(opens votercount.ai in a new tab)

The only AI tool connected to L2’s industry-leading national voter file.

Ask about any county, age group, or district in South Dakota, in plain English, and get answers in seconds.

Try it for yourself(opens votercount.ai in a new tab)