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Democratic Party primaries in South Dakota, 2022
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U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Supreme court • State ballot measures • Local ballot measures • Municipal • How to run for office |
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| Democratic Party primaries, 2022 |
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| Primary Date |
| June 7, 2022 |
| Primary Runoff Date |
| August 16, 2022 |
| Federal elections |
| Democratic primaries for U.S. House |
| State party |
| Democratic Party of South Dakota |
| State political party revenue |
This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in South Dakota on June 7, 2022.
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. South Dakota law allows parties to choose whether to let unaffiliated voters vote in their elections. For more information on recognized political parties in South Dakota and their primary policies, see here.[1][2]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
The 2022 U.S. Senate elections in South Dakota took place on November 8, 2022. Voters elected one candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Democratic primary candidates
This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
U.S. House
At-large District
Democratic primary candidatesThe Democratic Party primary was canceled.
State elections
State Senate
South Dakota State Senate elections, 2022 |
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| Office | Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 1 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 2 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 3 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 4 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 5 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 6 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 7 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 8 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 9 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 10 |
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| District 11 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 13 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 14 |
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| District 15 |
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Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 16 |
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| District 17 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 18 |
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| District 19 |
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| District 20 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 21 |
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| District 22 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 23 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 24 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 25 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Kevin Crisp Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 26 |
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| District 27 |
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| District 28 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 29 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 30 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 31 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 32 |
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| District 33 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 34 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 35 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection
House of Representatives
South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2022 |
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| Office | Democratic |
Republican |
Other |
| District 1 (2 seats) |
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| District 2 (2 seats) |
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| District 3 (2 seats) |
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| District 4 (2 seats) |
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| District 5 (2 seats) |
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| District 6 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 7 (2 seats) |
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| District 8 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 9 (2 seats) |
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| District 10 (2 seats) |
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| District 11 (2 seats) |
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| District 12 (2 seats) |
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| District 13 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 14 (2 seats) |
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| District 15 (2 seats) |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 16 (2 seats) |
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| District 17 (2 seats) |
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| District 18 (2 seats) |
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| District 19 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Caleb Finck (i) |
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| District 20 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 21 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 22 (2 seats) |
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| District 23 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 24 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 25 (2 seats) |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 26A |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 26B |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 27 (2 seats) |
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| District 28A |
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| District 28B |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 29 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 30 (2 seats) |
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| District 31 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 32 (2 seats) |
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| District 33 (2 seats) |
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| District 34 (2 seats) |
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| District 35 (2 seats) |
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State executive offices
Eight state executive offices were up for election in South Dakota in 2022:
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Auditor
Public Lands Commissioner
Public Utilities Commission
Governor
Democratic primary candidatesThis primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
Lieutenant Governor
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Attorney General
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Secretary of State
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Treasurer
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Auditor
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Public Lands Commissioner
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Public Utilities Commissioner
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains information about the primary election competitiveness of election in South Dakota. For more information about this data, click here.
U.S. Senate competitiveness
U.S. House competitiveness
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in South Dakota in 2022. Information below was calculated on April 22, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Two candidates filed to run for South Dakota's one U.S. House seat in 2022. The filing deadline for this election was March 29. This was the fewest number of candidates to file for the seat since 2016 (when there were also two candidates). Three candidates ran for the seat in 2020, and six candidates ran in 2018.
Here are some other highlights from this year’s filings:
- This was the second election cycle in a row with no Democratic candidate on the ballot.
- Because it had only one U.S. House seat, South Dakota did not need to redistrict after the 2020 census
- Rep. Dusty Johnson (R) ran for re-election. He was elected in 2018 when Kristi Noem (R) retired to run for governor.
State executive competitiveness
State legislative competitiveness
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in South Dakota in 2022. Information below was calculated on April 29, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Of the 71 state legislative incumbents who filed for re-election in South Dakota in 2022, 35—all Republicans—were set to run in contested primaries. That equals a rate of 49%, the highest since 2010.
A contested primary is one where there are more candidates running than there are seats up for election. In South Dakota's Senate, every district has one seat, so a primary is contested if two candidates from the same party file to run. In the House, most districts have two seats, meaning at least three candidates from the same party must file to create a contested primary.
The total number of primaries—including those without incumbents—also reached its highest level since 2010. With 72 districts, there are 144 possible primaries every election cycle. Contested primaries were scheduled in 41 (29%): two Democratic primaries and 39 with Republicans. For Democrats, this was the same number as in 2020. For Republicans, this represented a 44% increase.
Thirty-four of the 105 seats up for election were left open, meaning no incumbents filed to run, the most since 2016, which had 43 open seats.
Thirteen of the open seats in 2022 came as a result of term limits, with incumbents unable to seek re-election by law. South Dakota's term limits are chamber specific, meaning a term-limited senator cannot seek re-election to the Senate but can run in the House. In 2022, four term-limited incumbents filed to run in a new chamber.
- Sen. Gary Cammack (R) filed in House District 29, creating a primary including incumbent Rep. Kirk Chaffee (R) and newcomer Kathy Rice (R), with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election.
- Rep. Mark Willadsen (R) filed in Senate District 9 against newcomer Brent Hoffman (R).
- Rep. Arch Beal (R) filed in Senate District 12 in an uncontested primary.
- Rep. Shawn Bordeaux (D) filed in Senate District 26 in an uncontested primary.
Additionally, Rep. Steve Haugaard (R) filed to run for governor against incumbent Gov. Kristi Noem (R). As of 2022, no incumbent governor had ever been defeated in a primary when running for a second term in South Dakota.
Overall, 216 major party candidates filed to run in 2022: 53 Democrats and 163 Republicans. That's 2.1 candidates per seat, an increase from the 1.9 candidates per seat in 2020.
Context of the 2022 elections
South Dakota Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Thirty-two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
State party overview
Democratic Party of South Dakota
- See also: Democratic Party of South Dakota
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic state party affiliates.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. South Dakota law allows parties to choose whether to let unaffiliated voters vote in their elections. For more information on recognized political parties in South Dakota and their primary policies, see here.[3][4]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In South Dakota, all polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If the polls close while you are still in line, you will be permitted to vote. South Dakota is divided between Central and Mountain time zones.[5]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in South Dakota, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of South Dakota, and at least 18 years old by the day of the next election.[6]
The deadline to register to vote is 15 days before the next election. To register, an applicant may submit a voter registration form to the county auditor. Prospective voters can also register in person at the county auditor's office, driver's license stations, certain public assistance agencies, or military recruitment offices.[6]
Automatic registration
South Dakota does not practice automatic voter registration.[7]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
South Dakota does not permit online voter registration.
Same-day registration
South Dakota does not allow same-day voter registration.[7]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in South Dakota, you must be a resident of the state for at least thirty consecutive days.[8][6]
Verification of citizenship
South Dakota does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[9] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The South Dakota Secretary of State’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
South Dakota requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[10]
The following were accepted forms of identification as of October 2025. Click here for the South Dakota Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
- South Dakota driver's license or nondriver ID card
- U.S. government photo ID
- U.S. passport
- U.S. Armed Forces ID
- Current student photo identification card from a South Dakota high school or South Dakota-accredited institution of higher education
- Tribal photo ID
If a voter does not have a photo ID, he or she can sign a personal identification affidavit. The voter will then be given a regular ballot.[10]
Early voting
South Dakota permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in South Dakota. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[11][12]
To vote absentee, an absentee ballot application must be received by county election officials no later than 5 p.m. the day before the election. A completed absentee ballot must then be received by election officials by the close of polls on Election Day.[13]
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Five of 66 South Dakota counties—7.6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Corson County, South Dakota | 4.51% | 11.08% | 21.48% | ||||
| Day County, South Dakota | 23.77% | 6.16% | 12.89% | ||||
| Marshall County, South Dakota | 15.51% | 8.66% | 16.48% | ||||
| Roberts County, South Dakota | 15.53% | 9.84% | 19.64% | ||||
| Ziebach County, South Dakota | 1.96% | 16.43% | 27.16% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won South Dakota with 61.5 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 31.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, South Dakota cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 63.3 percent of the time. In that same time frame, South Dakota supported Republican candidates for president more often than Democratic candidates, 86.7 to 10.0 percent. The state favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in South Dakota. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[14][15]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won six out of 37 state House districts in South Dakota with an average margin of victory of 19.9 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won four out of 37 state House districts in South Dakota with an average margin of victory of 12.7 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 31 out of 37 state House districts in South Dakota with an average margin of victory of 22.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 33 out of 37 state House districts in South Dakota with an average margin of victory of 32.5 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 51.58% | 46.48% | D+5.1 | 37.24% | 57.24% | R+20 | D |
| 2 | 41.78% | 55.63% | R+13.8 | 28.47% | 65.46% | R+37 | R |
| 3 | 44.43% | 52.39% | R+8 | 33.93% | 59.00% | R+25.1 | R |
| 4 | 40.82% | 56.54% | R+15.7 | 27.54% | 66.02% | R+38.5 | R |
| 5 | 39.90% | 58.16% | R+18.3 | 27.89% | 65.65% | R+37.8 | R |
| 6 | 38.47% | 59.68% | R+21.2 | 30.89% | 61.65% | R+30.8 | R |
| 7 | 50.40% | 46.81% | D+3.6 | 43.62% | 47.39% | R+3.8 | D |
| 8 | 43.39% | 54.25% | R+10.9 | 32.58% | 61.26% | R+28.7 | R |
| 9 | 44.78% | 52.69% | R+7.9 | 35.24% | 57.43% | R+22.2 | R |
| 10 | 42.73% | 55.52% | R+12.8 | 34.89% | 58.46% | R+23.6 | R |
| 11 | 42.02% | 56.19% | R+14.2 | 36.63% | 56.47% | R+19.8 | R |
| 12 | 43.37% | 54.72% | R+11.3 | 40.26% | 52.71% | R+12.4 | R |
| 13 | 42.42% | 55.91% | R+13.5 | 42.90% | 50.51% | R+7.6 | R |
| 14 | 45.37% | 53.02% | R+7.7 | 42.55% | 50.96% | R+8.4 | R |
| 15 | 60.76% | 36.19% | D+24.6 | 50.37% | 40.21% | D+10.2 | D |
| 16 | 37.11% | 61.13% | R+24 | 28.21% | 66.43% | R+38.2 | R |
| 17 | 46.23% | 51.48% | R+5.3 | 38.71% | 54.73% | R+16 | D |
| 18 | 42.37% | 55.09% | R+12.7 | 34.30% | 58.81% | R+24.5 | R |
| 19 | 30.80% | 67.46% | R+36.7 | 21.26% | 73.69% | R+52.4 | R |
| 20 | 39.03% | 58.77% | R+19.7 | 28.66% | 65.65% | R+37 | R |
| 21 | 32.69% | 65.58% | R+32.9 | 21.75% | 74.28% | R+52.5 | D |
| 22 | 40.25% | 57.55% | R+17.3 | 28.05% | 65.80% | R+37.8 | R |
| 23 | 27.77% | 70.13% | R+42.4 | 17.94% | 77.32% | R+59.4 | R |
| 24 | 31.98% | 66.03% | R+34.1 | 26.93% | 66.80% | R+39.9 | R |
| 25 | 39.10% | 58.97% | R+19.9 | 31.43% | 61.88% | R+30.4 | D |
| 26A | 71.98% | 26.91% | D+45.1 | 62.07% | 31.66% | D+30.4 | D |
| 26B | 38.65% | 59.41% | R+20.8 | 27.43% | 66.49% | R+39.1 | R |
| 27 | 59.61% | 39.08% | D+20.5 | 51.30% | 43.71% | D+7.6 | R |
| 28A | 59.49% | 38.69% | D+20.8 | 48.66% | 46.00% | D+2.7 | D |
| 28B | 21.01% | 75.69% | R+54.7 | 13.67% | 79.93% | R+66.3 | R |
| 29 | 26.65% | 70.23% | R+43.6 | 18.53% | 73.59% | R+55.1 | R |
| 30 | 28.42% | 68.70% | R+40.3 | 22.14% | 71.69% | R+49.5 | R |
| 31 | 34.98% | 61.85% | R+26.9 | 28.34% | 62.58% | R+34.2 | R |
| 32 | 37.98% | 59.43% | R+21.5 | 33.81% | 56.85% | R+23 | R |
| 33 | 32.89% | 64.91% | R+32 | 28.15% | 64.55% | R+36.4 | R |
| 34 | 34.28% | 63.64% | R+29.4 | 32.46% | 59.35% | R+26.9 | R |
| 35 | 35.21% | 61.55% | R+26.3 | 26.34% | 64.40% | R+38.1 | R |
| Total | 39.87% | 57.89% | R+18 | 31.74% | 61.53% | R+29.8 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed September 25, 2024
- ↑ South Dakota Legislature,"Codified Laws § 12-6-26," accessed September 25, 2024
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed September 25, 2024
- ↑ South Dakota Legislature,"Codified Laws § 12-6-26," accessed September 25, 2024
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, “General Voting Information,” accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 South Dakota Secretary of State, “Register to Vote, Update Voter Registration or Cancel Voter Registration,” accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ 2025 South Dakota Legislature, "HB 1066," accessed April 2, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 South Dakota Secretary of State, "General Voting Information," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Voting by Absentee Ballot," accessed July 24, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Absentee and Early Voting," accessed July 24, 2024
- ↑ Long Distance Voter, "South Dakota Absentee Ballot Guide," accessed July 24, 2024
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
