The County Auditor as the clerk of the County Commissioners is required to keep an accurate record of official proceedings and preserve all documents, books accounting records, and maps. The Auditor schedules appointments, prepares the agenda, and prepares the legal notices required for publishing.

The County Auditor is in charge of the accounting functions for the county. These include: accounts payable, payroll and employee benefits, fixed assets and inventory records of county property, prepares monthly and annual financial reports, assists the County Commissioners with annual budget, calculates the tax levies for all taxing entities in the county and apportions the taxes collected by the Treasurer.

The County Auditor is the Election Supervisor for the county. Election duties include voter registration, securing polling places, ballot preparation, set-up of automarks and election scanner, appoint and train election workers, canvass and report election results, and issue certificates of election.

Public Records Requests

Requests for records relating to the business of the County that are deemed public by South Dakota law must be formally made by letter sent via U.S. Mail to the address below. Pursuant to SDCL 1-27-37, Lake County treats requests by telephone or email to be informal. Lake County only accepts formal requests for records.

Lake County Auditor
200 E. Center St.
Madison, SD 57042

-Requests for records from the Lake County Sheriff should be directed to the Sheriff’s Office.
-Requests for records relating to filed court cases, both criminal and civil, should be directed to the Lake County Clerk of Courts.