The bill amends South Dakota's voter registration laws to require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Specifically, it modifies Section 12-4-1 to stipulate that an individual must demonstrate citizenship through various forms of documentation, such as a valid state-issued driver’s license, tribal identification, or a birth certificate. Additionally, it establishes that individuals who are registered to vote by July 1, 2026, will not need to resubmit citizenship documentation unless they register in a different county. The bill also introduces a new section that outlines the specific types of documentation acceptable for proving citizenship.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 12-4-1.3 to clarify the criteria under which a county auditor must designate an individual as a "federal voter," which includes cases where the individual provides only a commercial address or fails to provide citizenship documentation. It also repeals previous sections that outlined voter qualifications, consolidating the requirements into the new framework. Overall, the legislation aims to tighten voter registration processes by ensuring that only U.S. citizens can register and vote in South Dakota elections.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/29/2026: 12-4-1, 12-4-1.3, 34-10-7, 12-3-1, 12-3-1.1