The Secretary of State’s Office issued a statement Wednesday saying that upcoming elections in the state will continue as planned at this point in time.  Secretary of State Steve Barnett said that state law does not allow for the rescheduling of these dates or the extension of election deadlines. He said at this time, all election dates and deadlines remain in place.  

Barnett said his office is consulting with Governor Kristi Noem and her staff and will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments.  

For now, Barnett said they are encouraging people to utilize the absentee voting process.  

The City of Madison and Madison Central School Board have an election scheduled for April 14th.  Information on absentee voting will be available from the City Finance Office or the Madison Central Business Office.  

The deadline for party candidates to file nominating petitions for the primary election in June is March 31st.  Petitions must be filed with the County Auditor’s Office. Absentee voting for the June primary election begins on April 17th, and ballots can be requested from the County Auditor’s Office.  

Barnett said the Secretary of State’s Office will continue to work with local election officials to implement procedures and processes to keep polling locations safe for election workers and citizens. More election information can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.