South Dakota state legislative districts
 |
List of state legislative districts |
There are 105 seats in the South Dakota State Legislature. All 35 seats in the South Dakota State Senate and all 70 seats in the South Dakota House of Representatives are up for election every even-numbered year to serve a two-year term.
Chambers
Click the following tabs for more information about each chamber:
Senate
The South Dakota State Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 35 members, one representing each legislative district. The President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor, and the current President of the Senate is Matthew Michels (R). The president only votes in the case of a tie.
As of the 2020 Census, South Dakota state senators represented an average of 25,365 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 23,422 residents.
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the South Dakota State Legislature, a candidate must meet the following qualifications:[1]
| “ | 21 years old; 2 years residency; qualified voter; may not have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime; may not have illegally taken 'public moneys'[2] | ” |
Vacancies
If there is a vacancy in the South Dakota State Legislature, the governor is responsible for appointing a replacement. Under the state constitution, there are no deadlines set in the state constitution requiring when the governor has to fill a vacancy.[3]
See sources: South Dakota Const. Art. 3, Sec. 10
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2025[4] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $16,348/year | $178/day for legislators who reside more than 50 miles away from the Capitol. |
Term limits
- See also: State legislatures with term limits
The South Dakota legislature is one of 16 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the South Dakota Term Limits Act in 1992. That initiative said that South Dakota senators are subject to term limits of no more than four consecutive two-year terms, or eight consecutive years. State senators can run again after they have been out of office for a term.[5] The first year that the term limits enacted in 1992 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2000.
The South Dakota State Legislature has tried on more than one occasion, each time unsuccessfully, to persuade the state's voters to repeal term limits. The most recent such failed attempt was when Amendment J lost in 2008 by 75-25%.
Districts
These are links to every district in the South Dakota State Senate.
House
The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 70 members, two from each legislative district.[6] The presiding officer of the House is the Speaker of the House, elected by the members. The current speaker is Spencer Gosch (R). In addition, the House also elects a speaker pro tempore, who presides in the absence of the speaker and traditionally succeeds the speaker in the next legislature. The current speaker pro tempore is Jon Hansen (R).
As of the 2020 Census, South Dakota state representatives represented an average of 12,682 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 11,711 residents.
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the South Dakota State Legislature, a candidate must meet the following qualifications:[7]
| “ | 21 years old; 2 years residency; qualified voter; may not have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime; may not have illegally taken 'public moneys'[2] | ” |
Vacancies
If there is a vacancy in the South Dakota State Legislature, the governor is responsible for appointing a replacement. Under the state constitution, there are no deadlines set in the state constitution requiring when the governor has to fill a vacancy.[8]
See sources: South Dakota Const. Art. 3, Sec. 10
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2025[9] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $16,348/year | $178/day for legislators who reside more than 50 miles away from the Capitol. |
Term limits
- See also: State legislatures with term limits
The South Dakota legislature is one of 16 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the South Dakota Term Limits Act in 1992. That initiative said that South Dakota representatives are subject to term limits of no more than four consecutive two-year terms, or eight consecutive years. Representatives can run again after they have been out of office for a term.[10] The first year that the term limits enacted in 1992 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2000.
The South Dakota State Legislature has tried on more than one occasion, each time unsuccessfully, to persuade the state's voters to repeal term limits. The most recent such failed attempt was when Amendment J lost in 2008 by 75-25%.
Districts
These are links to every district in the South Dakota House of Representatives.
Redistricting
South Dakota is home to a single at-large congressional district; as such, congressional redistricting is not necessary. State legislative districts are drawn by the state legislature. A simple majority vote in each chamber is required to pass a redistricting plan, which is subject to veto by the governor.[11]
The South Dakota Constitution mandates that state legislative districts be contiguous and compact. State statutes "ask that districts protect communities of interest and respect geographical and political boundaries." Because these latter requirements are statutory, they can be modified by the state legislature at its discretion.[11]
South Dakota enacted new state legislative districts after the legislature approved a compromise between two competing proposals. Both chambers voted to approve the final proposal, known as the Sparrow map, on November 10, 2021. The House approved the new districts in a 37-31 vote and the Senate by a vote of 30-2. Gov. Kristi Noem (R) signed the proposal into law later that night.[12]
Both chambers approved their own versions of the final map on the first day of the special legislative session, which began on November 8, 2021. The House passed its Grouse 2.0 plan by a vote of 48-20, and the Senate approved its plan, known as the Blackbird 2.0 map, in a 20-15 vote. The two proposals mainly differed in their approach to Native American reservations and the rural areas around Rapid City, and the Sparrow addressed both preserving Native American districts and reconfiguring the districts covering Rapid City.[12] These maps took effect for South Dakota's 2022 legislative elections.
Senate elections
South Dakota state senators serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. South Dakota holds elections for its legislature in even years.
2026
Elections for the South Dakota State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026. The primary is June 2, 2026. The filing deadline is March 31, 2026.
2024
Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was June 4, 2024. The filing deadline was March 26, 2024.
| South Dakota State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 4 | 3 | |
| Republican Party | 31 | 32 | |
| Total | 35 | 35 | |
2022
Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 7, 2022. The filing deadline was March 29, 2022.
In the 2022 elections, the Republican majority in the South Dakota State Senate decreased from 32-3 to 31-4.
| South Dakota State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 3 | 4 | |
| Republican Party | 32 | 31 | |
| Total | 35 | 35 | |
2020
Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 2, 2020, and a primary runoff was scheduled for August 11, 2020. The filing deadline was March 31, 2020.
In the 2020 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the South Dakota State Senate from 30-5 to 32-3.
| South Dakota State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 5 | 3 | |
| Republican Party | 30 | 32 | |
| Total | 35 | 35 | |
2018
Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2018. The primary election took place on June 5, 2018. The Democratic primary was a hybrid primary and the Republican primary was a closed primary. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 27, 2018.[13]
In the 2018 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the South Dakota State Senate from 29-6 to 30-5.
| South Dakota State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 6, 2018 | After November 7, 2018 | |
| Democratic Party | 6 | 5 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | 30 | |
| Total | 35 | 35 | |
2016
Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 29, 2016. All 35 seats in the South Dakota State Senate were up for election in 2016.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 27-8 majority. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 29-6 majority.
| South Dakota State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
| Democratic Party | 8 | 6 | |
| Republican Party | 27 | 29 | |
| Total | 35 | 35 | |
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2014The general elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate took place on November 4, 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 25, 2014. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 28-7 majority. Republicans lost one seat in the election, giving them a 27-8 majority.
2012Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on June 5, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was March 27, 2012. A total of 35 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 30-5 majority. Republicans lost two seats in the election, giving them a 28-7 majority.
The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.
2010Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on June 8, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was March 30, 2010. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 21-14 majority. Republicans gained nine seats in the election, giving them a 30-5 majority.
In 2010, the candidates for state Senate raised a total of $1,090,800 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[14]
2008Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 3, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $2,196,661. The top 10 contributors were:[15]
2006Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,811,174. The top 10 contributors were:[16]
2004Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 1, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $859,976. The top 10 contributors were:[17]
2002Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 4, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $429,255. The top 10 contributors were:[18]
2000Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $429,065. The top 10 contributors were:[19]
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House elections
South Dakota state representatives serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. South Dakota holds elections for its legislature in even years.
2026
Elections for the South Dakota House of Representatives will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026. The primary is June 2, 2026. The filing deadline is March 31, 2026.
2024
Elections for the South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was June 4, 2024. The filing deadline was March 26, 2024.
In the 2024 elections, Republicans gained one seat in the South Dakota House of Representatives, increasing their majority from 63-7 to 63-6, with one vacant seat. The vacancy occurred when Herman Otten (R) announced prior to the 2025 legislative session that he would not be assuming office.
| South Dakota House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 7 | 6 | |
| Republican Party | 63 | 63 | |
| Vacancy | 0 | 1 | |
| Total | 70 | 70 | |
2022
Elections for the South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 7, 2022. The filing deadline was March 29, 2022. In the 2022 elections, the Republican majority in the South Dakota House of Representatives increased from 62-8 to 63-7.
| South Dakota House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 8 | 7 | |
| Republican Party | 62 | 63 | |
| Total | 70 | 70 | |
2020
Elections for the office of South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 2, 2020, and a primary runoff was scheduled for August 11, 2020. The filing deadline was March 31, 2020.
Heading into the election, Republicans held 59 seats and Democrats held 11. Republicans gained a net three seats and expanded their majority to 62-8.
| South Dakota House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 11 | 8 | |
| Republican Party | 59 | 62 | |
| Total | 70 | 70 | |
2018
Elections for the South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2018. The primary election took place on June 5, 2018. The Democratic primary was a hybrid primary and the Republican primary was a closed primary. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 27, 2018.[20]
In the 2018 elections, Democrats gained one seat South Dakota House of Representatives.
| South Dakota House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 6, 2018 | After November 7, 2018 | |
| Democratic Party | 10 | 11 | |
| Republican Party | 59 | 59 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | 70 | |
2016
Elections for the South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 29, 2016. All 70 seats in the South Dakota House of Representatives were up for election in 2016.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 58-12 majority. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 60-10 majority.
| South Dakota House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
| Democratic Party | 12 | 10 | |
| Republican Party | 58 | 60 | |
| Total | 70 | 70 | |
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2014Elections for the South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 25, 2014. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 53-17 majority. Republicans gained five seats in the election, giving them a 58-12 majority.
2012Elections for the office of South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2012. The primary election was held on June 5, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was March 27, 2012. All 70 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 50-19 majority with one vacancy. Republicans gained three seats in the election, giving them a 53-17 majority.
2010Elections for the office of South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2010. The primary election was held on June 8, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was March 30, 2010. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 46-24 majority. Republicans gained four seats in the election, giving them a 50-19 majority with one independent member.
In 2010, the candidates for state House raised a total of $1,675,460 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[21]
2008Elections for the office of South Dakota House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 3, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $1,474,166. The top 10 contributors were:[22]
2006Elections for the office of South Dakota House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $1,269,101. The top 10 contributors were:[23]
2004Elections for the office of South Dakota House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 1, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $927,656. The top 10 contributors were:[24]
2002Elections for the office of South Dakota House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 4, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $932,931. The top 10 contributors were:[25]
2000Elections for the office of South Dakota House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 6, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $1,206,539. The top 10 contributors were:[26]
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District maps
State Senate
State House
See also
- State legislature
- South Dakota State Legislature
- South Dakota State Senate
- South Dakota House of Representatives
- List of South Dakota state legislative elections
Footnotes
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Qualification to Hold Office & Term Limitations," accessed May 23, 2205
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ South Dakota Legislature, "South Dakota Constitution Article III, Section 10," accessed February 3, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2025 Legislator Compensation," December 2, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota State Legislature, "Legislative Terms of Office," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ South Dakota House of Representatives Districts 26 and 28 are both split into two districts representing different geographic areas.
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Qualification to Hold Office & Term Limitations," accessed May 23, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Legislature, "South Dakota Constitution Article III, Section 10," accessed February 3, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2025 Legislator Compensation," December 2, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota State Legislature, "Legislative Terms of Office," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 All About Redistricting, "South Dakota," accessed April 23, 2015
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Black Hills Fox, "South Dakota lawmakers compromise on redistricting map in special session," November 10, 2021
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "South Dakota Primary and General Election Calendar 2018," accessed September 5, 2017
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed August 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2008 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2006 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2004 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2002 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2000 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "South Dakota Primary and General Election Calendar 2018," accessed September 5, 2017
- ↑ Follow the Money: "South Dakota House 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed August 2, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2008 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2006 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2004 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2002 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "South Dakota 2000 Candidates," accessed July 31, 2013
