South Dakota state executive official elections, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 22
- Early voting: Sept. 21 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 5
- Online registration: No
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
2020 →
← 2016
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| South Dakota state executive official elections |
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 |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 27, 2018 |
| Primary: June 5, 2018 Primary runoff: August 14, 2018 (if needed) General: November 6, 2018 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in South Dakota |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2018 Impact of term limits in 2018 State government trifectas and triplexes |
| Other state executive elections |
The following state executive offices were up for election in South Dakota in 2018. Click on the following links to learn more about each race:
Governor
Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Treasurer
Auditor
Public lands commissioner
Public utilities commissioner
Candidates and election results
Governor
General election
General election for Governor of South Dakota
Kristi L. Noem defeated Billie Sutton and Kurt Evans in the general election for Governor of South Dakota on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kristi L. Noem (R) | 51.0 | 172,912 |
 | Billie Sutton (D) | 47.6 | 161,454 | |
 | Kurt Evans (L) | 1.4 | 4,848 | |
| Total votes: 339,214 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = 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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- CJ Abernathey (L)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of South Dakota
Billie Sutton advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of South Dakota on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Billie Sutton |
| ||||
| = 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 primary election
Republican primary for Governor of South Dakota
Kristi L. Noem defeated Marty J. Jackley in the Republican primary for Governor of South Dakota on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kristi L. Noem | 56.0 | 57,598 |
 | Marty J. Jackley | 44.0 | 45,174 | |
| Total votes: 102,772 | |||
| = 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
Lieutenant governor
General election
General election for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
Larry Rhoden defeated Michelle Lavallee and Richard Shelatz in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Larry Rhoden (R) | 51.0 | 172,912 |
| Michelle Lavallee (D) | 47.6 | 161,454 | ||
 | Richard Shelatz (L) | 1.4 | 4,848 | |
| Total votes: 339,214 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Attorney general
General election
General election for Attorney General of South Dakota
Jason Ravnsborg defeated Randy Seiler in the general election for Attorney General of South Dakota on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jason Ravnsborg (R) | 55.2 | 179,071 |
 | Randy Seiler (D) | 44.8 | 145,558 | |
| Total votes: 324,629 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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
- Tatewin Means (D)
- John Fitzgerald (R)
Secretary of state
General election
General election for South Dakota Secretary of State
Steve Barnett defeated Alexandra Frederick in the general election for South Dakota Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Steve Barnett (R) | 65.2 | 211,064 |
 | Alexandra Frederick (D) | 34.8 | 112,807 | |
| Total votes: 323,871 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Treasurer
General election
General election for South Dakota Treasurer
Josh Haeder defeated Aaron Matson in the general election for South Dakota Treasurer on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Josh Haeder (R) | 62.3 | 195,019 | |
 | Aaron Matson (D) | 37.7 | 117,763 | |
| Total votes: 312,782 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Auditor
General election
General election for South Dakota State Auditor
Richard Sattgast defeated Tom Cool in the general election for South Dakota State Auditor on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Richard Sattgast (R) | 64.0 | 202,055 |
 | Tom Cool (D) | 36.0 | 113,628 | |
| Total votes: 315,683 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Public lands commissioner
General election
General election for South Dakota Commissioner of School and Public Lands
Incumbent Ryan Brunner defeated Woody Houser in the general election for South Dakota Commissioner of School and Public Lands on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ryan Brunner (R) | 62.4 | 193,434 |
| Woody Houser (D) | 37.6 | 116,786 | ||
| Total votes: 310,220 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Public utilities commissioner
General election
General election for South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Incumbent Kristie Fiegen defeated Wayne Frederick in the general election for South Dakota Public Utilities Commission on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kristie Fiegen (R) | 65.5 | 206,436 |
| Wayne Frederick (D) | 34.5 | 108,925 | ||
| Total votes: 315,361 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Context of the 2018 elections
Party control in South Dakota
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. Republicans in South Dakota gained a state government trifecta as a result of the 1994 elections by taking control of the state Senate.
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 |
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.[1][2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
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.[4]
Automatic registration
South Dakota does not practice automatic voter registration.[5]
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.[5]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in South Dakota, you must be a resident of the state for at least thirty consecutive days.[6][4]
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.[7] 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. 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.[8]
Voters can present the following forms of identification:
- 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.[8]
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.[9][10]
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.[11]
Impact of term limits
Eight state executive seats in South Dakota were up for election in 2018. In the 2018 elections, five officials were ineligible to run because of term limits. The following state officials were term-limited in 2018:
Republicans (5):
- Governor: Dennis Daugaard
- Lt. Gov.: Matthew Michels
- Attorney General: Marty J. Jackley
- Treasurer: Richard Sattgast
- Auditor: Steve Barnett
Of the 283 state executives offices on the ballot in 2018, 131 of them were represented by incumbents who were subject to term limits. Of the 36 gubernatorial seats up for election in 2018, 13 governors—two Democrats and 11 Republicans—were term-limited and therefore unable to run for re-election. Of the 31 states with term limits that held state executives elections in 2018, some incumbents in 18 of the states were term-limited.
A total of 49 state executive officials were ineligible to run in the 2018 elections because of term limits. This represented 17 percent of the 283 total seats up for election in 2018.[12] Republicans had more than six times as many state executive officials term-limited in 2018 than Democrats. A total of seven Democrats were term-limited, while 40 Republicans were term-limited. The other two term-limited officials were nonpartisan.
Past elections
2016
The following elections took place in 2016.
2014
The following elections took place in 2014.
- South Dakota down ballot state executive elections, 2014
- South Dakota state executive official elections, 2014
- South Dakota Attorney General election, 2014
- South Dakota gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014
- South Dakota Secretary of State election, 2014
2012
The following elections took place in 2012.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms South Dakota state executive election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
State profile
| Demographic data for South Dakota | ||
|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 857,919 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 75,811 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 85% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 1.6% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.2% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 8.6% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.6% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 3.3% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 90.9% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $50,957 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 15.3% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in South Dakota. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
South Dakota voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in South Dakota, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.[13]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. South Dakota had four Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 2.21 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.
More South Dakota coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in South Dakota
- United States congressional delegations from South Dakota
- Public policy in South Dakota
- Endorsers in South Dakota
- South Dakota fact checks
- More...
See also
| South Dakota | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 South Dakota Secretary of State, “Register to Vote, Update Voter Registration or Cancel Voter Registration,” accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 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."
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 South Dakota Secretary of State, "General Voting Information," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Some of the 49 state executive officials in 2018 may have resigned before their term ended. These state executive officials were still counted in the total number of term-limited state executives in 2018.
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
