A look at 2024 voter turnout

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — At several precincts across Sioux Falls, people stood in lines out the door, waiting to cast their votes.

"Oh, maybe half an hour or so. It was a lot longer this morning, so I skipped it and went to work," Naser Abushark said while waiting to vote at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.

Strong voter turnout expected in South Dakota

"My employer's pretty good about knowing the importance of today. So we were able to carve some time out just to make sure this is, you know, a priority for the week, for the year," Alex Rushkoff said.

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The wait over the lunch hour at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church was about 30 minutes for voters. One person said it was busier that morning.

Some got an even earlier start at other polling locations.

More than 200 people had cast their votes by 9 a.m. at Eastside Baptist Church. There were more than 300 voters at the downtown First Lutheran Church by 11:30 a.m. At the Westminster Presbyterian Church, over 660 had voted before by 2:30 p.m.

For many, today wasn't about the wait. It was about making sure their voices were heard.

"It's just important that we make our voices heard simple that no matter whether you're right or left or red or blue, it's important that we make our voices heard," Jackie Wiseman said.

Minnehaha County auditor Leah Anderson expects 30,000 absentee ballots will be processed today. Over 140,000 absentee ballots have been turned in as of November 1 in South Dakota.

KELOLAND News will update you as more turnout numbers are available.