Political party strength in South Dakota

The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of South Dakota:

The table also indicates the historical party composition in the:

For years in which a presidential election was held, the table indicates which party's candidate received the state's electoral votes.

Year Executive offices[1] State Legislature Pub. Util. Comm. United States Congress Electoral votes
Governor Lt. Governor Sec. of State Atty. Gen. Auditor Treasurer Comm. of Lands State Senate State House U.S. Senator (Class II) U.S. Senator (Class III) U.S. House
1889 Arthur C. Mellette (R)[a] James H. Fletcher (R) Amund O. Ringsrud (R) Robert Dollard (R) L. C. Taylor (R) Wilbur F. Smith (R) Osner H. Parker (R) 37R, 4D, 4I 106R, 13D, 2Pop, 2I, 1Fus 3NP Richard F. Pettigrew (R) Gideon C. Moody (R) 2R
1890
1891 George H. Hoffman (R) W. W. Taylor (R) Thomas H. Ruth (R) 22R, 10I, 8D, 3Pop, 2? 58D, 33I, 20R, 10Pop, 1Fus[b] James H. Kyle (I)
1892 Harrison/
Reid (R) Red XN
1893 Charles H. Sheldon (R) Charles N. Herreid (R) Thomas Thorson (R) Coe I. Crawford (R) J. E. Hipple (R) 35R, 4D, 3I, 1Pop 69R, 8I, 4D, 2Pop James H. Kyle (Pop)
1894
1895 Kirk G. Phillips (R) John L. Lockhart (R) 35R, 3D, 3Pop, 3Fus, 1I 69R, 11Pop, 2D, 2I 3R
1896 Richard F. Pettigrew (SvR) 2 – Bryan/
Sewall (D/SvR) Red XN
2 – Bryan/
Watson (Pop) Red XN
1897 Andrew E. Lee (Pop) Daniel T. Hindman (R) William H. Roddle (R) Melvin Grigsby (Pop) J. E. Mayhew (R) 20R, 15Fus, 6Pop, 2D 39R, 18Fus, 17Pop, 9D, 1I 3Pop 2Pop
1898
1899 Andrew E. Lee (Fus)[c] John T. Kean (R) John L. Pyle (R)[d] James D. Reeves (R) John Schamber (R) David Eastman (R) 31R, 6Fus, 4D, 4Pop 61R, 15Fus, 9D, 2Pop 2Pop, 1R 2R
1900 McKinley/
Roosevelt (R) Green tickY
1901 James H. Kyle (R)[d]
Charles N. Herreid (R) George W. Snow (R) O. C. Berg (R) 41R, 2Fus, 1D, 1Pop 79R, 7D, 1Fus 2R, 1Pop Robert J. Gamble (R) Alfred B. Kittredge (R)
1902 Adolphus W. Burtt (R)
1903 Philo Hall (R) J. F. Halladay (R) C. B. Collins (R) C. J. Bach (R) 41R, 3D, 1Fus 77R, 8D, 2Fus 3R
1904 Roosevelt/
Fairbanks (R) Green tickY
1905 Samuel H. Elrod (R) John E. McDougall (R) David D. Wipf (R) 42R, 2Pop, 1D 86R, 2D, 1Fus
1906
1907 Coe I. Crawford (R) Howard C. Shober (R) S. Wesley Clark (R) John Hirning (R) C. H. Cassill (R) O. C. Dokken (R) 35R, 8D, 1Pop, 1Fus 80R, 9D
1908 Taft/
Sherman (R) Green tickY
1909 Robert S. Vessey (R) Samuel C. Polley (R) George G. Johnson (R) 38R, 6D, 1Pop 92R, 9D, 1Pop, 1I Coe I. Crawford (R)
1910
1911 Frank M. Byrne (R) Royal C. Johnson (R) Henry B. Anderson (R) F. F. Brinkler (R) 32R, 11D, 1Pop, 1I 97R, 5D, 1Pop, 1I
1912 Roosevelt/
Johnson (Prog) Red XN
1913 Frank M. Byrne (R) Edward Lincoln Abel (R) Frank Galsner(R) A. W. Ewert (R) 34R, 11D 89R, 13D, 1I Thomas Sterling (R) 3R
1914
1915 Peter Norbeck (R) Frank M. Rood (R) Clarence C. Caldwell (R) J. E. Handlin (R) Fred Hepperle (R) 84R, 19D Edwin S. Johnson (D) 2R, 1D
1916 Hughes/
Fairbanks (R) Red XN
1917 Peter Norbeck (R) William H. McMaster (R) G. H. Helgerson (R) N. E. Knight (R) 35R, 10D 89R, 14D
1918
1919 C. A. Burkhart (R)[d] Byron S. Payne (R) Jay Reeves (R) 43R, 2D 88R, 11D, 3I, 1?
1920 Harding/
Coolidge (R) Green tickY
1921 William H. McMaster (R) Carl Gunderson (R) W. S. O'Brein (R) 44R, 1D 95R, 4D, 4I Peter Norbeck (R) 3R
1922 Clarence E. Coyne (R)
1923 Buell F. Jones (R) Edward A. Jones (R) 34R, 9D, 2I 84R, 12D, 5I, 1Fus
1924 Coolidge/
Dawes (R) Green tickY
1925 Carl Gunderson (R) Alva Clark Forney (R) James L. Driscoll (R) O. P. J. Englstorm (R) 35R, 9D, 1FL 85R, 15D, 2I, 1Fus William H. McMaster (R)
1926
1927 William J. Bulow (D) Hyatt E. Covey (R) Gladys Pyle (R) A. J. Moodie (R) 29R, 16D 77R, 25D, 1?
1928 Hoover/
Curtis (R) Green tickY
1929 Clarence E. Coyne (R)[d] Merrell Q. Sharpe (R) William M. Dunn (R) 33R, 12D 82R, 21D
John T. Grigsby (D)[e]
1930
1931 Warren Green (R) Odell K. Whitney (R) Elizabeth Coyne (R) A. C. Goodhope (R) 31R, 14D 79R, 24D William J. Bulow (D)
1932 Roosevelt/
Garner (D) Green tickY
1933 Tom Berry (D) Hans Ustrud (D) Myrtle Morrison (D) D. Walter Conway (D) George O'Neill (D) Frank G. Stewart (D) Ben Strool (D) 30D, 15R 69D, 34R 2R, 1D 2D
1934
1935 Robert Peterson (D) 32D, 13R 63D, 40R 2D, 1R
1936
1937 Leslie Jensen (R) Donald McMurchie (R) Goldie Wells (D) Clair Roddewig (D) Raymond A. Kelly (D) W. H. Hinselman (D) 23R, 22D 66R, 37D 2R, 1D Herbert E. Hitchcock (D) 1D, 1R
1938 Gladys Pyle (R)
1939 Harlan J. Bushfield (R) Olive A. Ringsrud (R) Leo A. Temmey (R) W. W. Warner (R) W. G. Douglas (R) Earl A. Hammerquest (R) 30R, 5D 62R, 13D 3R Chan Gurney (R) 2R
1940 Willkie/
McNary (R) Red XN
1941 A. C. Miller (R) 31R, 4D 65R, 10D
1942 John N. Thompson (R)
1943 Merrell Q. Sharpe (R) L. M. Larsen (R) George T. Mickelson (R) E. V. Youngquist (R)[d] John A. Lunden (R) 69R, 6D Harlan J. Bushfield (R)[d]
1944 Dewey/
Bricker (R) Red XN
1945 Sioux K. Grigsby (R) Steve E. Anderson (R) Hazel Dean (R) 35R 72R, 3D
1946
1947 George T. Mickelson (R) Annamae Riff (R) Sigurd Anderson (R) Clarence E. Buehler (R) 71R, 4D
1948 Dewey/
Warren (R) Red XN
Vera C. Bushfield (R)[e]
1949 Rex Terry (R) Bernard Linn (R) 27R, 8D 64R, 11D Karl Mundt (R)[f]
1950 James O. Gilkerson (R)
1951 Sigurd Anderson (R) Geraldine Ostroot (R) Ralph A. Dunham (R) Theodore Mehlaf (R) 29R, 6D 66R, 9D Francis Case (R)
1952 Lawrence E. Mayes (R) Eisenhower/
Nixon (R) Green tickY
1953 35R 73R, 2D
1954
1955 Joe Foss (R) L. Roy Houck (R) Phil Saunders (R) Ed Elkins (R) 29R, 6D 57R, 18D
1956 Fay A. Allbee (R)
1957 Clara Halls (R) 18R, 17D 48R, 27D 1D, 1R
1958 Oscar Brosz (R)
1959 Ralph Herseth (D) John F. Lindley (D) Selma Sandness (D) Parnell J. Donahue (D) Harriet Horning (D) Al Hamre (R) 20D, 15R 43R, 32D
1960 Nixon/
Lodge (R) Red XN
1961 Archie M. Gubbrud (R) Joe Bottum (R)[g] Essie Wiedenman (R) A. C. Miller (R) Betty Lou Casey (R) 23R, 12D 57R, 18D 2R
1962
vacant Joe Bottum (R)
1963 Nils Boe (R) Frank Farrar (R) Al Hamre (R) Lloyd Jorgenson (R) 26R, 9D 58R, 17D George McGovern (D)
1964 Johnson/
Humphrey (D) Green tickY
1965 Nils Boe (R) Lem Overpeck (R) Alma Larson (R) 19R, 15D, 1I 45R, 30D
1966
1967 Lloyd Jorgenson (R) Al Hamre (R) 29R, 6D 64R, 11D
1968 Nixon/
Agnew (R) Green tickY
1969 Frank Farrar (R) James Abdnor (R) Gordon Mydland (R) Alice Kundert (R) Neal Strand (R) 27R, 8D 59R, 16D
1970
1971 Richard F. Kneip (D)[h] William Dougherty (D) Ralph Ginn (R)[d] 24R, 11D 45R, 30D 2R, 1D 2D
1972
1973 Lorna Herseth (D) Kermit A. Sande (D) David Volk (R) George Kane (D)[e] 18D, 17R 35R, 35D[i] 2D, 1R James Abourezk (D) 1D, 1R
1974
1975 Harvey Wollman (D)[j] Bill Janklow (R) 19D, 16R 37R, 33D 3D 2R
1976 Ford/
Dole (R) Red XN
1977 24R, 11D 48R, 22D 2D, 1R
1978 Harvey Wollman (D)[j] vacant[j]
1979 Bill Janklow (R) Lowell C. Hansen II (R) Alice Kundert (R) Mark V. Meierhenry (R) Vern Larson (R) John J. Gerken (R) Larry Pressler (R) 1D, 1R
1980 Reagan/
Bush (R) Green tickY
1981 25R, 10D 49R, 21D 2R, 1D James Abdnor (R)
1982
1983 F. Julian Cheney (R) 26R, 9D 52R, 18D 2D, 1R Tom Daschle (D)
1984 David Volk (R)
1985 John J. Gerken (R) 25R, 10D 57R, 13D
1986
1987 George S. Mickelson (R)[d] Walter Dale Miller (R) Joyce Hazeltine (R) Roger Tellinghuisen (R) Timothy Amdahl (R) 24R, 11D 48R, 22D 3D Tom Daschle (D) Tim Johnson (D)
1988 Bush/
Quayle (R) Green tickY
1989 20R, 15D 46R, 24D 2D, 1R
1990
1991 Mark Barnett (R) G. Homer Harding (R) Curt Johnson (D) 18R, 17D 45R, 25D
1992 Bush/
Quayle (R) Red XN
1993 Walter Dale Miller (R)[k] Steve T. Kirby (R)[e] 20D, 15R 41R, 29D
1994
1995 Bill Janklow (R) Carole Hillard (R) Dick Butler (D) 19R, 16D 45R, 24D, 1I
1996 Dole/
Kemp (R) Red XN
1997 22R, 13D 47R, 23D Tim Johnson (D) John Thune (R)
1998
1999 52R, 18D
2000 Bush/
Cheney (R) Green tickY
2001 24R, 11D 50R, 20D
2002
2003 Mike Rounds (R) Dennis Daugaard (R) Chris Nelson (R) Larry Long (R) Rich Sattgast (R) Vern Larson (R) Bryce Healy (D) 26R, 9D 49R, 21D 2R, 1D Bill Janklow (R)[l]
2004 Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D)[m]
2005 25R, 10D 51R, 19D 3R John Thune (R)
2006
2007 Jarrod Johnson (R) 20R, 15D 50R, 20D 2R, 1D
2008 McCain/
Palin (R) Red XN
2009 21R, 14D 46R, 24D
2010 Marty Jackley (R)
2011 Dennis Daugaard (R) Matt Michels (R) Jason Gant (R) Steve Barnett (R) Rich Sattgast (R) 30R, 5D 50R, 19D, 1I 3R Kristi Noem (R)
2012 Romney/
Ryan (R) Red XN
2013 Vern Larson (R) 28R, 7D 53R, 17D
2014
2015 Shantel Krebs (R) Ryan Brunner (R)[n] 27R, 8D 58R, 12D Mike Rounds (R)
2016 Trump/
Pence (R) Green tickY
2017 29R, 6D 60R, 10D
2018
2019 Kristi Noem (R) Larry Rhoden (R) Steve Barnett (R) Jason Ravnsborg (R)[o] Rich Sattgast (R) Josh Haeder (R) 30R, 5D 59R, 11D Dusty Johnson (R)
2020 Trump/
Pence (R) Red XN
2021 32R, 3D 62R, 8D
2022 Jarrod Johnson (R)[e]
Mark Vargo (R)[e]
2023 Monae Johnson (R) Marty Jackley (R) Brock Greenfield (R) 31R, 4D 63R, 7D
2024 [to be determined]
Year Governor Lt. Governor Sec. of State Atty. Gen. Auditor Treasurer Comm. of Lands State Senate State House Pub. Util. Comm. U.S. Senator (Class II) U.S. Senator (Class III) U.S. House Electoral votes
Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress
Key to party colors and abbreviations for members of the U.S. Congress and other politicians or officials
Alaskan Independence (AKIP)
Know Nothing (KN)
American Labor (AL)
Anti-Jacksonian (Anti-J)
National Republican (NR)
Anti-Administration (AA)
Anti-Masonic (Anti-M)
Conservative (Con)
Covenant (Cov)
Democratic (D)
Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL)
Democratic–NPL (D-NPL)
Dixiecrat (Dix),
States' Rights (SR)
Democratic-Republican (DR)
Farmer–Labor (FL)
Federalist (F)
Pro-Administration (PA)
Free Soil (FS)
Fusion (Fus)
Greenback (GB)
Independence (IPM)
Independent Democrat (ID)
Independent Republican (IR)
Jacksonian (J)
Liberal (Lib)
Libertarian (L)
National Union (NU)
Nonpartisan League (NPL)
Nullifier (N)
Opposition Northern (O)
Opposition Southern (O)
Populist (Pop)
Progressive (Prog)
Prohibition (Proh)
Readjuster (Rea)
Republican (R)
Silver (Sv)
Silver Republican (SvR)
Socialist (Soc)
Union (U)
Unconditional Union (UU)
Vermont Progressive (VP)
Whig (W)
Independent (I)
Nonpartisan (NP)
  1. ^ Arthur C. Mellette had served as the final governor of Dakota Territory prior to his election as the first governor of the State of South Dakota.
  2. ^ A Independent Republican Speaker, Charles X. Seward, was elected with the support of Democrats, Independents, Populists, and members of the Farmers' Alliance who ran as Independents. This alliance, with the Farmers' Alliance and the Populists being predominant, ran and organized the chamber.[2]
  3. ^ Andrew E. Lee won re-election on the Fusion ticket in 1898. In 1898, the Fusion Party was a coalition of Democrats/
    Populists; in 1900 it consisted of Democrats, Populists and Silver Republicans.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Died in office.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Appointed to fill a vacancy.
  6. ^ Appointed after having already been elected to a full term.
  7. ^ Resigned when appointed to a seat in the U.S. Senate.
  8. ^ Richard F. Kneip was the last South Dakota governor to serve a two-year term (1971-73 and 1973-75), and the first elected to a four-year term (in the 1974 election).
  9. ^ A Democrat, Gene N. LeBrun, was elected Speaker, and the Democrats organized and ran the House.[3]
  10. ^ a b c On July 24, 1978, Governor Kneip resigned to become United States Ambassador to Singapore. Lieutenant Governor Harvey L. Wollman succeeded to the office of governor on that date and served until January 1, 1979. The office of Lieutenant Governor remained vacant for the remainder of the term.
  11. ^ Assumed office following the death or resignation of predecessor.
  12. ^ Resigned.
  13. ^ First elected in special election.
  14. ^ Resigned to be a senior policy advisor in Governor Noem's office.
  15. ^ Jason Ravnsborg was impeached by the South Dakota House of Representatives on April 12, 2022, and was suspended from his duties pending the trial in the South Dakota Senate.
  1. ^ Legislative Manual – South Dakota (PDF). 2019.
  2. ^ Robinson, Doane (1904). History of South Dakota. B. F. Bowen. p. 343. ISBN 978-0-598-27657-5.
  3. ^ p. 110, 112