Political party strength in South Dakota
The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of South Dakota :
The table also indicates the historical party composition in the:
For years in which a presidential election was held, the table indicates which party's candidate received the state's electoral votes.
Year
Executive offices[1]
State Legislature
Pub. Util. Comm.
United States Congress
Electoral votes
Governor
Lt. Governor
Sec. of State
Atty. Gen.
Auditor
Treasurer
Comm. of Lands
State Senate
State House
U.S. Senator (Class II)
U.S. Senator (Class III)
U.S. House
1889
Arthur C. Mellette (R) [a]
James H. Fletcher (R)
Amund O. Ringsrud (R)
Robert Dollard (R)
L. C. Taylor (R)
Wilbur F. Smith (R)
Osner H. Parker (R)
37R, 4D, 4I
106R, 13D, 2Pop, 2I, 1Fus
3NP
Richard F. Pettigrew (R)
Gideon C. Moody (R)
2R
1890
1891
George H. Hoffman (R)
W. W. Taylor (R)
Thomas H. Ruth (R)
22R, 10I, 8D, 3Pop, 2?
58D, 33I, 20R, 10Pop, 1Fus[b]
James H. Kyle (I)
1892
Harrison /Reid (R) N
1893
Charles H. Sheldon (R)
Charles N. Herreid (R)
Thomas Thorson (R)
Coe I. Crawford (R)
J. E. Hipple (R)
35R, 4D, 3I, 1Pop
69R, 8I, 4D, 2Pop
James H. Kyle (Pop)
1894
1895
Kirk G. Phillips (R)
John L. Lockhart (R)
35R, 3D, 3Pop, 3Fus, 1I
69R, 11Pop, 2D, 2I
3R
1896
Richard F. Pettigrew (SvR)
2 – Bryan /Sewall (D/SvR) N 2 – Bryan /Watson (Pop) N
1897
Andrew E. Lee (Pop)
Daniel T. Hindman (R)
William H. Roddle (R)
Melvin Grigsby (Pop)
J. E. Mayhew (R)
20R, 15Fus, 6Pop, 2D
39R, 18Fus, 17Pop, 9D, 1I
3Pop
2Pop
1898
1899
Andrew E. Lee (Fus) [c]
John T. Kean (R)
John L. Pyle (R) [d]
James D. Reeves (R)
John Schamber (R)
David Eastman (R)
31R, 6Fus, 4D, 4Pop
61R, 15Fus, 9D, 2Pop
2Pop, 1R
2R
1900
McKinley /Roosevelt (R) Y
1901
James H. Kyle (R) [d]
Charles N. Herreid (R)
George W. Snow (R)
O. C. Berg (R)
41R, 2Fus, 1D, 1Pop
79R, 7D, 1Fus
2R, 1Pop
Robert J. Gamble (R)
Alfred B. Kittredge (R)
1902
Adolphus W. Burtt (R)
1903
Philo Hall (R)
J. F. Halladay (R)
C. B. Collins (R)
C. J. Bach (R)
41R, 3D, 1Fus
77R, 8D, 2Fus
3R
1904
Roosevelt /Fairbanks (R) Y
1905
Samuel H. Elrod (R)
John E. McDougall (R)
David D. Wipf (R)
42R, 2Pop, 1D
86R, 2D, 1Fus
1906
1907
Coe I. Crawford (R)
Howard C. Shober (R)
S. Wesley Clark (R)
John Hirning (R)
C. H. Cassill (R)
O. C. Dokken (R)
35R, 8D, 1Pop, 1Fus
80R, 9D
1908
Taft /Sherman (R) Y
1909
Robert S. Vessey (R)
Samuel C. Polley (R)
George G. Johnson (R)
38R, 6D, 1Pop
92R, 9D, 1Pop, 1I
Coe I. Crawford (R)
1910
1911
Frank M. Byrne (R)
Royal C. Johnson (R)
Henry B. Anderson (R)
F. F. Brinkler (R)
32R, 11D, 1Pop, 1I
97R, 5D, 1Pop, 1I
1912
Roosevelt /Johnson (Prog) N
1913
Frank M. Byrne (R)
Edward Lincoln Abel (R)
Frank Galsner(R)
A. W. Ewert (R)
34R, 11D
89R, 13D, 1I
Thomas Sterling (R)
3R
1914
1915
Peter Norbeck (R)
Frank M. Rood (R)
Clarence C. Caldwell (R)
J. E. Handlin (R)
Fred Hepperle (R)
84R, 19D
Edwin S. Johnson (D)
2R, 1D
1916
Hughes /Fairbanks (R) N
1917
Peter Norbeck (R)
William H. McMaster (R)
G. H. Helgerson (R)
N. E. Knight (R)
35R, 10D
89R, 14D
1918
1919
C. A. Burkhart (R) [d]
Byron S. Payne (R)
Jay Reeves (R)
43R, 2D
88R, 11D, 3I, 1?
1920
Harding /Coolidge (R) Y
1921
William H. McMaster (R)
Carl Gunderson (R)
W. S. O'Brein (R)
44R, 1D
95R, 4D, 4I
Peter Norbeck (R)
3R
1922
Clarence E. Coyne (R)
1923
Buell F. Jones (R)
Edward A. Jones (R)
34R, 9D, 2I
84R, 12D, 5I, 1Fus
1924
Coolidge /Dawes (R) Y
1925
Carl Gunderson (R)
Alva Clark Forney (R)
James L. Driscoll (R)
O. P. J. Englstorm (R)
35R, 9D, 1FL
85R, 15D, 2I, 1Fus
William H. McMaster (R)
1926
1927
William J. Bulow (D)
Hyatt E. Covey (R)
Gladys Pyle (R)
A. J. Moodie (R)
29R, 16D
77R, 25D, 1?
1928
Hoover /Curtis (R) Y
1929
Clarence E. Coyne (R) [d]
Merrell Q. Sharpe (R)
William M. Dunn (R)
33R, 12D
82R, 21D
John T. Grigsby (D) [e]
1930
1931
Warren Green (R)
Odell K. Whitney (R)
Elizabeth Coyne (R)
A. C. Goodhope (R)
31R, 14D
79R, 24D
William J. Bulow (D)
1932
Roosevelt /Garner (D) Y
1933
Tom Berry (D)
Hans Ustrud (D)
Myrtle Morrison (D)
D. Walter Conway (D)
George O'Neill (D)
Frank G. Stewart (D)
Ben Strool (D)
30D, 15R
69D, 34R
2R, 1D
2D
1934
1935
Robert Peterson (D)
32D, 13R
63D, 40R
2D, 1R
1936
1937
Leslie Jensen (R)
Donald McMurchie (R)
Goldie Wells (D)
Clair Roddewig (D)
Raymond A. Kelly (D)
W. H. Hinselman (D)
23R, 22D
66R, 37D
2R, 1D
Herbert E. Hitchcock (D)
1D, 1R
1938
Gladys Pyle (R)
1939
Harlan J. Bushfield (R)
Olive A. Ringsrud (R)
Leo A. Temmey (R)
W. W. Warner (R)
W. G. Douglas (R)
Earl A. Hammerquest (R)
30R, 5D
62R, 13D
3R
Chan Gurney (R)
2R
1940
Willkie /McNary (R) N
1941
A. C. Miller (R)
31R, 4D
65R, 10D
1942
John N. Thompson (R)
1943
Merrell Q. Sharpe (R)
L. M. Larsen (R)
George T. Mickelson (R)
E. V. Youngquist (R) [d]
John A. Lunden (R)
69R, 6D
Harlan J. Bushfield (R) [d]
1944
Dewey /Bricker (R) N
1945
Sioux K. Grigsby (R)
Steve E. Anderson (R)
Hazel Dean (R)
35R
72R, 3D
1946
1947
George T. Mickelson (R)
Annamae Riff (R)
Sigurd Anderson (R)
Clarence E. Buehler (R)
71R, 4D
1948
Dewey /Warren (R) N
Vera C. Bushfield (R) [e]
1949
Rex Terry (R)
Bernard Linn (R)
27R, 8D
64R, 11D
Karl Mundt (R) [f]
1950
James O. Gilkerson (R)
1951
Sigurd Anderson (R)
Geraldine Ostroot (R)
Ralph A. Dunham (R)
Theodore Mehlaf (R)
29R, 6D
66R, 9D
Francis Case (R)
1952
Lawrence E. Mayes (R)
Eisenhower /Nixon (R) Y
1953
35R
73R, 2D
1954
1955
Joe Foss (R)
L. Roy Houck (R)
Phil Saunders (R)
Ed Elkins (R)
29R, 6D
57R, 18D
1956
Fay A. Allbee (R)
1957
Clara Halls (R)
18R, 17D
48R, 27D
1D, 1R
1958
Oscar Brosz (R)
1959
Ralph Herseth (D)
John F. Lindley (D)
Selma Sandness (D)
Parnell J. Donahue (D)
Harriet Horning (D)
Al Hamre (R)
20D, 15R
43R, 32D
1960
Nixon /Lodge (R) N
1961
Archie M. Gubbrud (R)
Joe Bottum (R) [g]
Essie Wiedenman (R)
A. C. Miller (R)
Betty Lou Casey (R)
23R, 12D
57R, 18D
2R
1962
vacant
Joe Bottum (R)
1963
Nils Boe (R)
Frank Farrar (R)
Al Hamre (R)
Lloyd Jorgenson (R)
26R, 9D
58R, 17D
George McGovern (D)
1964
Johnson /Humphrey (D) Y
1965
Nils Boe (R)
Lem Overpeck (R)
Alma Larson (R)
19R, 15D, 1I
45R, 30D
1966
1967
Lloyd Jorgenson (R)
Al Hamre (R)
29R, 6D
64R, 11D
1968
Nixon /Agnew (R) Y
1969
Frank Farrar (R)
James Abdnor (R)
Gordon Mydland (R)
Alice Kundert (R)
Neal Strand (R)
27R, 8D
59R, 16D
1970
1971
Richard F. Kneip (D) [h]
William Dougherty (D)
Ralph Ginn (R) [d]
24R, 11D
45R, 30D
2R, 1D
2D
1972
1973
Lorna Herseth (D)
Kermit A. Sande (D)
David Volk (R)
George Kane (D) [e]
18D, 17R
35R, 35D[i]
2D, 1R
James Abourezk (D)
1D, 1R
1974
1975
Harvey Wollman (D) [j]
Bill Janklow (R)
19D, 16R
37R, 33D
3D
2R
1976
Ford /Dole (R) N
1977
24R, 11D
48R, 22D
2D, 1R
1978
Harvey Wollman (D) [j]
vacant [j]
1979
Bill Janklow (R)
Lowell C. Hansen II (R)
Alice Kundert (R)
Mark V. Meierhenry (R)
Vern Larson (R)
John J. Gerken (R)
Larry Pressler (R)
1D, 1R
1980
Reagan /Bush (R) Y
1981
25R, 10D
49R, 21D
2R, 1D
James Abdnor (R)
1982
1983
F. Julian Cheney (R)
26R, 9D
52R, 18D
2D, 1R
Tom Daschle (D)
1984
David Volk (R)
1985
John J. Gerken (R)
25R, 10D
57R, 13D
1986
1987
George S. Mickelson (R) [d]
Walter Dale Miller (R)
Joyce Hazeltine (R)
Roger Tellinghuisen (R)
Timothy Amdahl (R)
24R, 11D
48R, 22D
3D
Tom Daschle (D)
Tim Johnson (D)
1988
Bush /Quayle (R) Y
1989
20R, 15D
46R, 24D
2D, 1R
1990
1991
Mark Barnett (R)
G. Homer Harding (R)
Curt Johnson (D)
18R, 17D
45R, 25D
1992
Bush /Quayle (R) N
1993
Walter Dale Miller (R) [k]
Steve T. Kirby (R) [e]
20D, 15R
41R, 29D
1994
1995
Bill Janklow (R)
Carole Hillard (R)
Dick Butler (D)
19R, 16D
45R, 24D, 1I
1996
Dole /Kemp (R) N
1997
22R, 13D
47R, 23D
Tim Johnson (D)
John Thune (R)
1998
1999
52R, 18D
2000
Bush /Cheney (R) Y
2001
24R, 11D
50R, 20D
2002
2003
Mike Rounds (R)
Dennis Daugaard (R)
Chris Nelson (R)
Larry Long (R)
Rich Sattgast (R)
Vern Larson (R)
Bryce Healy (D)
26R, 9D
49R, 21D
2R, 1D
Bill Janklow (R) [l]
2004
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) [m]
2005
25R, 10D
51R, 19D
3R
John Thune (R)
2006
2007
Jarrod Johnson (R)
20R, 15D
50R, 20D
2R, 1D
2008
McCain /Palin (R) N
2009
21R, 14D
46R, 24D
2010
Marty Jackley (R)
2011
Dennis Daugaard (R)
Matt Michels (R)
Jason Gant (R)
Steve Barnett (R)
Rich Sattgast (R)
30R, 5D
50R, 19D, 1I
3R
Kristi Noem (R)
2012
Romney /Ryan (R) N
2013
Vern Larson (R)
28R, 7D
53R, 17D
2014
2015
Shantel Krebs (R)
Ryan Brunner (R) [n]
27R, 8D
58R, 12D
Mike Rounds (R)
2016
Trump /Pence (R) Y
2017
29R, 6D
60R, 10D
2018
2019
Kristi Noem (R)
Larry Rhoden (R)
Steve Barnett (R)
Jason Ravnsborg (R) [o]
Rich Sattgast (R)
Josh Haeder (R)
30R, 5D
59R, 11D
Dusty Johnson (R)
2020
Trump /Pence (R) N
2021
32R, 3D
62R, 8D
2022
Jarrod Johnson (R) [e]
Mark Vargo (R) [e]
2023
Monae Johnson (R)
Marty Jackley (R)
Brock Greenfield (R)
31R, 4D
63R, 7D
2024
[to be determined ]
Year
Governor
Lt. Governor
Sec. of State
Atty. Gen.
Auditor
Treasurer
Comm. of Lands
State Senate
State House
Pub. Util. Comm.
U.S. Senator (Class II)
U.S. Senator (Class III)
U.S. House
Electoral votes
Executive offices
State Legislature
United States Congress
Key to party colors and abbreviations for members of the U.S. Congress and other politicians or officials
^ Arthur C. Mellette had served as the final governor of Dakota Territory prior to his election as the first governor of the State of South Dakota.
^ A Independent Republican Speaker, Charles X. Seward, was elected with the support of Democrats, Independents, Populists, and members of the Farmers' Alliance who ran as Independents. This alliance, with the Farmers' Alliance and the Populists being predominant, ran and organized the chamber.[2]
^ Andrew E. Lee won re-election on the Fusion ticket in 1898. In 1898, the Fusion Party was a coalition of Democrats /Populists ; in 1900 it consisted of Democrats, Populists and Silver Republicans .
^ a b c d e f g h Died in office.
^ a b c d e f Appointed to fill a vacancy.
^ Appointed after having already been elected to a full term.
^ Resigned when appointed to a seat in the U.S. Senate.
^ Richard F. Kneip was the last South Dakota governor to serve a two-year term (1971-73 and 1973-75), and the first elected to a four-year term (in the 1974 election).
^ A Democrat, Gene N. LeBrun , was elected Speaker, and the Democrats organized and ran the House.[3]
^ a b c On July 24, 1978, Governor Kneip resigned to become United States Ambassador to Singapore . Lieutenant Governor Harvey L. Wollman succeeded to the office of governor on that date and served until January 1, 1979. The office of Lieutenant Governor remained vacant for the remainder of the term.
^ Assumed office following the death or resignation of predecessor.
^ Resigned.
^ First elected in special election.
^ Resigned to be a senior policy advisor in Governor Noem's office.
^ Jason Ravnsborg was impeached by the South Dakota House of Representatives on April 12, 2022, and was suspended from his duties pending the trial in the South Dakota Senate.
See also
References