South Dakota 2026 elections

Political landscape in South Dakota

Overview

South Dakota, a landlocked state, sits in the North Central United States and on the Great Plains. North Dakota borders it on the north, Minnesota on the east, Iowa on the southeast, Nebraska on the south, Wyoming on the west and Montana on the northwest. It ranks 17th in area and 46th in population, placing it among the least populous and least densely populated states. Pierre is the capital and Sioux Falls, with about 213,900 residents, is the largest city. The Missouri River divides the state into East River and West River, two regions with distinct geography and social character. Named after the Dakota Sioux, the area saw settlement intensify after the Black Hills gold rush, and South Dakota and North Dakota both gained statehood on November 2, 1889, as the 39th and 40th states. Most residents live in the east, where many kinds of crops are grown on fertile land; west of the Missouri, ranching is the main form of agriculture, the economy relies more on tourism and defense spending, and the Black Hills hold Mount Rushmore, a major tourist destination.

Officeholders

As of October 2026, the governor of South Dakota is Larry Rhoden (Republican), and the state's US senators are John Thune (Republican) and Mike Rounds (Republican).

2026 elections

On November 3, 2026, voters in South Dakota will decide the race for a US Senate seat, the race for governor, the contest in the state's single US House district and 4 ballot measures. The four measures are Amendments I, J, K and L.