South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2024
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| 2024 South Dakota House Elections | |
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| Primary | June 4, 2024 |
| General | November 5, 2024 |
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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.
Following the election, Republicans maintained a 64-6 veto-proof majority.
The South Dakota House of Representatives was one of 85 state legislative chambers with elections in 2024. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.
Following the June 2024 Republican primary, The South Dakota Searchlight's Joshua Haiar wrote, "[Scott Odenbach] and others within a faction of the South Dakota Republican Party say it’s being run by politicians who are not as conservative as the party’s base of supporters. Their efforts to change that contributed to 14 losses by incumbent Republican legislators in Tuesday’s primary election. Odenbach’s political action committee spent $58,000 ahead of the primary in support of some winning candidates."[1]
Party control
| 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 | |
Candidates
General election
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate ConnectionPrimary
South Dakota House of Representatives primary 2024 |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 1 (2 seats) |
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| District 2 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 3 (2 seats) |
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| District 4 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 5 (2 seats) |
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| District 6 (2 seats) |
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| District 7 (2 seats) |
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| District 8 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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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) |
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| District 16 (2 seats) |
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| District 17 (2 seats) |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 18 (2 seats) |
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| District 19 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 20 (2 seats) |
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| District 21 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 22 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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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) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 26A |
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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. |
Gary L. Cammack (i) Did not make the ballot: |
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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) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 34 (2 seats) |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 35 (2 seats) |
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Voting information
- See also: Voting in South Dakota
General election race ratings
The table below displays race ratings for each race in this chamber from CNalysis.
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in general elections
One incumbent lost in general elections. An average of 2.4 incumbents were defeated in even year general elections from 2010-2022.
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Kameron Nelson |  Democratic |
House District 10 |
Incumbents defeated in primaries
Six incumbents lost in primaries. The average number of primary defeats in each election cycle from 2010 to 2022 was 1.9.
Retiring incumbents
Twenty-two incumbents did not file for re-election in 2024.[2] The average number of retirements each election cycle from 2010 to 2022 was 23. Those incumbents were:
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in South Dakota. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in South Dakota in 2024. Information below was calculated on April 24, 2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
There were 105 legislative seats up for election this year in South Dakota's legislature—35 in the Senate and 70 in the House. Thirty-six incumbents (three Democrats and 33 Republicans) did not run for re-election. This was the highest retirement rate since 2016 when 42 incumbents (10 Democrats and 32 Republicans) retired. The average number of retirements each year from 2010 to 2022 was 32.
South Dakota legislators are limited to serving four two-year terms in each chamber. Eight members of the Senate were term-limited, and seven members of the House were term-limited.
The number of contested Republican primaries in 2024 (44) was almost double the average for election cycles from 2010 to 2022 (23). This was the highest number of contested Republican primaries since Ballotpedia began tracking this figure in 2010.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2010 to 2024.[3]
| Open Seats in South Dakota House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2024 | 70 | 22 (31%) | 48 (69%) |
| 2022 | 70 | 25 (36%) | 45 (64%) |
| 2020 | 70 | 16 (23%) | 54 (77%) |
| 2018 | 70 | 18 (26%) | 52 (74%) |
| 2016 | 70 | 28 (40%) | 42 (60%) |
| 2014 | 70 | 22 (31%) | 48 (69%) |
| 2012 | 70 | 24 (34%) | 46 (66%) |
| 2010 | 70 | 22 (31%) | 48 (69%) |
Legislative referrals
- See also: Legislative referral
A legislative referral, or legislatively referred ballot measure, is a ballot measure that appears on the ballot due to a vote of the state legislature. A legislative referral can be a constitutional amendment, state statute, or bond issue.
As of the 2024 election, a simple majority vote was required during one legislative session for the South Dakota State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounted to a minimum of 36 votes in the South Dakota House of Representatives and 18 votes in the South Dakota State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments did not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
At the time of the 2024 election, Republicans held a 31-4 majority in the Senate and a 63-7 majority in the House. Democrats needed to win 14 Senate seats and 29 House seats to be able to pass legislative referrals without Republican votes. Republicans needed to lose 13 Senate seats and 27 House seats to lose the same ability.
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title 19, Chapter 12-6, Title 19, Chapter 12-7 of South Dakota Codified Law
For primary candidates
A primary election candidate must file a petition no earlier than January 1 and no later than the last Tuesday of March at 5 p.m., prior to the primary election. The petition must contain the required signatures and a declaration of candidacy. The declaration of candidacy must be completed before the candidate collects signatures. The declaration must be completed in the presence of an authorized notary public. A petition for a statewide or federal office must be signed by no less than 1 percent of the number of voters who supported the most recent winning gubernatorial candidate. For a state legislative candidate or candidate for county office, the petition must be signed by the lesser of 50 voters or 1 percent of the party's total registered members in that district or county. Any state legislative candidate must be a resident of the district for which he or she is a candidate at the time he or she signs the declaration of candidacy.[4][5][6]
For independent candidates
Any candidate for nonjudicial public office who is not nominated by a primary election may be nominated as an independent candidate by filing with the South Dakota Secretary of State or county auditor. Filing must be completed no earlier than January 1 and no later than the last Tuesday of April at 5:00 p.m., prior to the election. An independent candidate's certificate of nomination must be signed by registered voters within the applicable district or political subdivision. The number of signatures required may not be less than 1 percent of the total combined vote cast for governor at the last certified gubernatorial election within the district or political subdivision. Registered party members cannot sign petitions for independent candidates. No petition or certificate of nomination may be circulated prior to January 1 of the year in which the election will be held. Primary election candidates are prohibited from filing as independent candidates for the same office in the same year. No candidate can file a certificate of nomination for an office for which he or she has been a candidate in the primary election of the same year. Any candidate for office in the state legislature must be a resident of the district for which he or she is a candidate.[6][7][8][9]
For write-in candidates
The relevant statutes do not stipulate that a candidate may run as a write-in candidate. Write-in candidates for president are expressly prohibited.[10]
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the South Dakota House of Representatives, a candidate must be:[11]
- A U.S. citizen at the time of filing
- 21 years old at the filing deadline time
- A two-year resident of South Dakota at the filing deadline time
- May not have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime; may not have illegally taken "public moneys"
- A qualified voter. A qualified voter is someone who is:
- * A U.S. citizen
- * Reside in South Dakota
- * At least 18 years old old on or before the next election
- * Not currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction which included imprisonment, served or suspended, in an adult penitentiary system
- * Not be judged mentally incompetent by a court of law
- * Not have served 4 consecutive terms
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2025[12] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $16,348/year | $178/day for legislators who reside more than 50 miles away from the Capitol. |
When sworn in
South Dakota legislators assume office the second Tuesday in January after the general election.[13]
South Dakota political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
South Dakota Party Control: 1992-2026
No Democratic trifectas • Thirty-three 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 | 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 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 | R |
Presidential politics in South Dakota
2020
- See also: Presidential election, 2020
Presidential election in South Dakota, 2020
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
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| ✔ |
 
| Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R) |
61.8
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261,043 | 3 |
 
| Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D) |
35.6
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150,471 | 0 | |
 
| Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L) |
2.6
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11,095 | 0 | |
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Total votes: 422,609 |
2016
- See also: Presidential election, 2016
| U.S. presidential election, South Dakota, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 31.7% | 117,458 | 0 | |
| Republican |  Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
61.5% | 227,721 | 3 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 5.6% | 20,850 | 0 | |
| Constitution | Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley | 1.1% | 4,064 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 370,093 | 3 | |||
| Election results via: Federal Election Commission | |||||
South Dakota presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 3 Democratic wins
- 28 Republican wins
- 1 other win
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | R | R | R | P[14] | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
See also
| South Dakota | State Legislative Elections | News and Analysis |
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2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ South Dakota Searchlight, "New landscape confronts South Dakota Republicans after political earthquake shakes incumbents," June 5, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-6-4," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Download a petition," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-7-6," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-7-1," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-7-1.1," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-7-5," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-20-21.2," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Qualification to Hold Office & Term Limitations," accessed December 18, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2025 Legislator Compensation," December 2, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Constitution, "Article 3, Section 7," accessed November 20, 2012
- ↑ Progressive Party
