Jennifer Healy Keintz

This page was current at the end of the official's last term in office covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Jennifer Healy Keintz

Democratic Party

Prior offices:

South Dakota House of Representatives District 1

Years in office: 2021 - 2023

Predecessor: Steven McCleerey (D)

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Personal

Profession

Business owner

Contact

Personal Facebook

Personal Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Jennifer Healy Keintz (Democratic Party) was a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 1. She assumed office on January 12, 2021. She left office on January 10, 2023.

Keintz (Democratic Party) ran for election for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Keintz also ran for re-election to the South Dakota House of Representatives to represent District 1. She did not appear on the ballot for the general election on November 8, 2022.

Biography

Jennifer Healy Keintz's career experience includes working as a real estate broker with and owning Dakota View Realty & Auctions.

Committee assignments

2021-2022

Keintz was assigned to the following committees:

• House Education Committee
• House Health and Human Services Committee

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2022

Lt. governor

See also: South Dakota gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota

Incumbent Larry Rhoden defeated Jennifer Healy Keintz and Ashley Strand in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Larry Rhoden (R)	62.0	217,035
		Jennifer Healy Keintz (D)	35.2	123,148
		Ashley Strand (L)	2.9	9,983

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 350,166
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota

Jennifer Healy Keintz advanced from the Democratic convention for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota on July 9, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Jennifer Healy Keintz (D)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican convention

Republican convention for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota

Incumbent Larry Rhoden defeated Steven Haugaard in the Republican convention for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota on June 25, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Larry Rhoden (R)
		Steven Haugaard (R)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota

Ashley Strand advanced from the Libertarian convention for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota on April 23, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Ashley Strand (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

State House

See also: South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Incumbent Tamara St. John and Joe Donnell defeated Steven McCleerey and Kay Nikolas in the general election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tamara St. John (R)	31.8	5,726
✔		Joe Donnell (R)	28.5	5,138
		Steven McCleerey (D)	22.0	3,974
	Submit photo	Kay Nikolas (D)	17.7	3,191

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 18,029
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jennifer Healy Keintz (D)
• Logan Manhart (R)

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Jennifer Healy Keintz and Steven McCleerey advanced from the Democratic primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 1.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Tamara St. John and Logan Manhart advanced from the Republican primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 1.

2020

See also: South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 1 (2 seats)

Incumbent Tamara St. John and Jennifer Healy Keintz defeated incumbent Steven McCleerey in the general election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tamara St. John (R)	41.3	6,150
✔		Jennifer Healy Keintz (D)	30.2	4,502
		Steven McCleerey (D)	28.5	4,249

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 14,901
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Steven McCleerey and Jennifer Healy Keintz advanced from the Democratic primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 1.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Tamara St. John advanced from the Republican primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 1.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jennifer Healy Keintz did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Keintz's campaign website stated the following:

“	ECONOMY: Workforce Investment: It’s time to upgrade our economy. By investing in higher education, technical schools, and job training programs, we will focus on the development of the South Dakota workforce. By investing in these areas and partnering with local industries, we will prepare more South Dakotans to enter the skilled workforce. A More Welcoming SD: A welcome South Dakota is a welcome home. Too often we hear of young people and families leaving South Dakota because they don’t feel welcome. I want to create a South Dakota where more people want to stay and raise families. We do this by abandoning legislation that seeks to divide us and instead investing in innovative businesses, infrastructure for rural communities, and establishing South Dakota as a destination for high-paying jobs. Main Street Initiative: If Main Street is failing, then Pierre is failing. Main streets are the cultural and economic lifeblood of towns and cities across the state. I support cutting taxes for working-class South Dakotans and families. We will develop a program to reinvest into main streets across South Dakota so we can revitalize downtowns and drive economic growth. AGRICULTURE: Rural Growth: Agriculture is South Dakota’s first industry. Agriculture is a staple of South Dakota, and we depend on farming communities each and every day. Because of that, we will create low-interest loans and student loan assistance programs for South Dakotans going into agriculture. Separating Department of Ag from Department of Natural Resources: Farmers deserve their own Department of Agriculture. Since the Department of Agriculture has been combined with the Department of Natural Resources, too many unnecessary complications have occurred, creating problems for farmers. It’s time to use common sense and separate the two agencies. Property Tax Relief and Value-Added Ag: Property taxes have never been higher. The agriculture community suffers when they face crippling property taxes based on highest use instead of actual use. Creating property tax relief for farmers will allow more farmers to use financial resources to innovate with value-added agriculture—such as food processing, biotechnologies, and energy—which creates a better economy for all of us. HEALTHCARE: Expanding Medicaid: Expanding Medicaid makes sense for South Dakota. By expanding Medicaid, over 40,000 South Dakotans will gain access to quality, often life-saving, care. Medicaid expansion will also create jobs and help grow South Dakota’s economy. A healthy workforce is an essential part of creating real economic strength. Rural Healthcare: People shouldn't have to decide between filling their prescriptions and filling their grocery carts. I will support the expansion of programs like 340B to bring prescription drug prices down and make sure patients have access to telemedicine if they are unable to visit the doctor in person. Nursing Homes and Longterm Care: Nursing homes need help. Many of our long-term care facilities in the state are underfunded and understaffed. Medicaid Expansion can help with the funding, but we’ll have to rely on our universities to steer students towards careers in helping seniors. As governor, I will work to make this vision a reality so everyone can live out their lives with dignity and peace. Abortion: Women should not be forced to give birth. The people of South Dakota have voted twice on this issue (2006 and 2008), and both times voted that access to abortion should remain. As governor, I will work with legislators to allow access to abortion services. I will also take action to protect the health and safety of mothers as well as their children through every stage of life. This means funding foster care programs, creating opportunities for affordable childcare, and making sure a mother and child have access to quality healthcare for a safer birth experience. EDUCATION/SCHOOLS: Teacher Pay: My plan is simple: More teachers. Better pay. South Dakota teachers receive some of the lowest pay in the country. As a result, we lose hundreds of qualified educators every year while schools stretch the limited resources they have to meet students’ needs. It’s time to invest in the future of South Dakota by making sure every child gets the educational opportunities they deserve and that schools and classrooms have adequate resources to provide those opportunities. Local Control: There’s nothing radical about learning American history. Students should have the opportunity to learn about the nation’s history from multiple points of view. School boards around the state have been robbed of the chance to represent the families that elected them. As governor, I will return local control to our state’s school boards. Let’s keep politics out of the classroom. INTEGRITY: Corruption/Accountability: As Governor, I will put the state’s checkbook online. We will require disclosures in campaign finance, as well as expand reporting requirements for politicians. You will always know where and how your tax dollars are being spent. Code of Ethics: Our public servants should be held to a higher standard. Every member of my administration, including myself, will sign a pledge to uphold a code of ethical standards. We will hold ourselves accountable and ensure that we will not betray the sacred trust of South Dakota’s voters. Cannabis: In South Dakota, the people rule. As Governor, I will always seek to carry out the will of the people. We must acknowledge and carry out that decision, which means legalizing recreational cannabis rather than wasting taxpayer dollars on lawsuits. Legalization will also create thousands of potential new jobs and increase our annual GDP by more than $14 million. CRIME: Crime Rates: Let’s really tackle crime. Over the past four years, South Dakota saw a rise in both violent and property crime rates. We’re going to focus on prevention and make sure that felons have opportunities for a life beyond prison. Together, we can keep South Dakota safe for ourselves and our neighbors. Treat Drug Addiction: Patients should not be prisoners. Too often, we hear of loved ones battling drug addiction. Too often, these same individuals find their way into South Dakota prisons without hurting anyone but themselves. I want to expand South Dakota’s recovery systems and cut red tape for rehab organizations to access much-needed funding. Tackling Meth: Stopping meth in South Dakota takes more than a slogan. If we want to help curb the issue of meth in our state, we have to take serious action. I will utilize federal resources to crack down on production while supporting recovery access for addicts. Patients shouldn't be prisoners, but there will be consequences for criminals spreading poison in our state. SOCIAL ISSUES: Gun Ownership: I am a proud, responsible gun owner. South Dakota has a rich history of firearm use in hunting and gun sports, and I want to build on this tradition to ensure a safe future for all South Dakotans. I believe in a common sense approach to gun ownership, which includes making sure that dangerous criminals and people with mental illness are not able to use guns to commit violent crimes while also protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens in South Dakota. NATIVE AFFAIRS: Reconciliation With Tribes: It’s time to stop treating the first people of South Dakota last. It is long overdue for the state government to continue the mission put in place by Governor Mickelson and reconcile with the tribal nations. The foundation for reconciliation is trust. We do this by actively listening to the concerns of tribal members and creating economic opportunities where desired by the tribes. We can work together to resolve jurisdictional disputes, provide much-needed services, and facilitate economic cooperation between South Dakota and Native people around the state.	”
—Jennifer Healy Keintz's campaign website (2022)

2020

Jennifer Healy Keintz did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in South Dakota

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

• 2022
• 2021

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Dakota State Legislature in 2022.

• Cannabis Industry Association of South Dakota/New Approach South Dakota/South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws — Legislators are scored on their votes related to cannabis.
• Elevate Rapid City — Legislators are scored on their stances related to the Rapid City business community.
• Family Heritage Alliance — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
• Family Voice Action — Legislators are scored on bills related to family issues.
• Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes related to business.
• National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
• SD Citizens For Liberty — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
• South Dakota Multi-Housing Association — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to housing.
• South Dakota Right to Life — Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the South Dakota State Legislature in 2021.

• Americans for Prosperity - South Carolina — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
• Elevate Rapid City — Legislators are scored on their stances related to the Rapid City business community.
• Family Voice Action — Legislators are scored on bills related to family issues.
• Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes related to business.
• SD Citizens For Liberty — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
• South Dakota Right to Life — Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
• The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

See also

2022 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Heart of the Primaries The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Personal

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn