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South Dakota State Senate elections, 2022

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2022 South Dakota
Senate Elections
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PrimaryJune 7, 2022
GeneralNovember 8, 2022
Past Election Results
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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.

The chamber's Republican supermajority decreased from to 32-3 to 31-4.

The South Dakota State Senate was one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2022. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.

Party control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates and State government trifectas
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

Candidates

General

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Primary




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Incumbents who were not re-elected
See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 12, 2022

Incumbents defeated in general elections

One incumbent lost in the Nov. 8 general election.

Name Party Office
Margaret Sutton Ends.png Republican Senate District 10

Incumbents defeated in primary elections

See also: Defeated state legislative incumbents, 2022

One incumbent lost in the June 7 primaries.

Name Party Office
Mary Duvall Ends.png Republican Senate District 24

Retiring incumbents

Nine incumbents were not on the ballot in 2022.[1] Those incumbents were:

Name Party Office Reason
Brock Greenfield Ends.png Republican Senate District 2 Term limited
V.J. Smith Ends.png Republican Senate District 7 Retired
Wayne Steinhauer Ends.png Republican Senate District 9 Retired
R. Blake Curd Ends.png Republican Senate District 12 Term limited
Arthur Rusch Ends.png Republican Senate District 17 Term limited
Marsha Symens Ends.png Republican Senate District 25 Retired
Troy Heinert Electiondot.png Democratic Senate District 26 Term limited
Gary Cammack Ends.png Republican Senate District 29 Term limited
Timothy Johns Ends.png Republican Senate District 31 Retired

Primary election competitiveness

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2022

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.

South Dakota state legislative competitiveness, 2014-2022
Office Districts/
offices 		Seats Open seats Candidates Possible primaries Contested Democratic primaries Contested Republican primaries =new y % of contested primaries Incumbents in contested primaries % of incumbents in contested primaries
2022 72 105 34 212 144 2 39 28.5% 35 49.3%
2020 72 105 28 201 144 2 27 20.1% 25 32.5%
2018 72 105 28 224 144 7 16 16.0% 18 23.4%
2016 72 105 43 179 144 4 22 18.1% 18 29.0%
2014 72 105 33 195 144 5 17 15.3% 17 23.6%


Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in South Dakota in 2022. Information below was calculated on April 29, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Of the 71 state legislative incumbents who filed for re-election in South Dakota in 2022, 35—all Republicans—were set to run in contested primaries. That equals a rate of 49%, the highest since 2010.

A contested primary is one where there are more candidates running than there are seats up for election. In South Dakota's Senate, every district has one seat, so a primary is contested if two candidates from the same party file to run. In the House, most districts have two seats, meaning at least three candidates from the same party must file to create a contested primary.

The total number of primaries—including those without incumbents—also reached its highest level since 2010. With 72 districts, there are 144 possible primaries every election cycle. Contested primaries were scheduled in 41 (29%): two Democratic primaries and 39 with Republicans. For Democrats, this was the same number as in 2020. For Republicans, this represented a 44% increase.

Thirty-four of the 105 seats up for election were left open, meaning no incumbents filed to run, the most since 2016, which had 43 open seats.

Thirteen of the open seats in 2022 came as a result of term limits, with incumbents unable to seek re-election by law. South Dakota's term limits are chamber specific, meaning a term-limited senator cannot seek re-election to the Senate but can run in the House. In 2022, four term-limited incumbents filed to run in a new chamber.

  • Sen. Gary Cammack (R) filed in House District 29, creating a primary including incumbent Rep. Kirk Chaffee (R) and newcomer Kathy Rice (R), with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election.
  • Rep. Mark Willadsen (R) filed in Senate District 9 against newcomer Brent Hoffman (R).
  • Rep. Arch Beal (R) filed in Senate District 12 in an uncontested primary.
  • Rep. Shawn Bordeaux (D) filed in Senate District 26 in an uncontested primary.

Additionally, Rep. Steve Haugaard (R) filed to run for governor against incumbent Gov. Kristi Noem (R). As of 2022, no incumbent governor had ever been defeated in a primary when running for a second term in South Dakota.

Overall, 216 major party candidates filed to run in 2022: 53 Democrats and 163 Republicans. That's 2.1 candidates per seat, an increase from the 1.9 candidates per seat in 2020.

Open seats

The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the South Dakota State Senate from 2010 to 2022.[2] It will be updated as information becomes available following the state’s candidate filing deadline.

Open Seats in South Dakota State Senate elections: 2010 - 2022
Year Total seats Open seats Seats with incumbents running for re-election
2022 35 9 (26 percent) 26 (74 percent)
2020 35 12 (34 percent) 23 (66 percent)
2018 35 8 (23 percent) 27 (77 percent)
2016 35 15 (43 percent) 20 (57 percent)
2014 35 9 (26 percent) 26 (74 percent)
2012 35 8 (23 percent) 27 (77 percent)
2010 35 13 (37 percent) 22 (63 percent)

Process to become a candidate

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in South Dakota

DocumentIcon.jpg 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.[3][4][5]

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.[5][6][7][8]

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.[9]

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

To be eligible to serve in the South Dakota Senate, a candidate must be:[10]

  • 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, 2024[11]
SalaryPer diem
$13,436/year$166/day for legislators who reside more than 50 miles away from the capitol

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

South Dakota legislators assume office the second Tuesday in January after the general election.[12]

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: 1992-2025
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

Presidential politics in South Dakota

2020 Presidential election results


Presidential election in South Dakota, 2020
 
Candidate/Running mate
%
Popular votes
Electoral votes
✔
Image of
Image of
Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R)
 
61.8
 
261,043 3
Image of
Image of
Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D)
 
35.6
 
150,471 0
Image of
Image of
Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L)
 
2.6
 
11,095 0

Incumbents are bolded and underlined The results have been certified.

Total votes: 422,609



Voting information

See also: Voting in South Dakota

Election information in South Dakota: Nov. 8, 2022, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: Oct. 24, 2022
  • By mail: Received by Oct. 24, 2022
  • Online: N/A

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: Nov. 7, 2022
  • By mail: Received by Nov. 7, 2022
  • Online: N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: Nov. 8, 2022
  • By mail: Received by Nov. 8, 2022

Was early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates?

Sep. 23, 2022 to Nov. 7, 2022

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

N/A


Redistricting following the 2020 census

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.[13]

Below is the state Senate map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.

South Dakota State Senate Districts
until January 9, 2023

Click a district to compare boundaries.

South Dakota State Senate Districts
starting January 10, 2023

Click a district to compare boundaries.


See also

South Dakota State Legislative Elections News and Analysis
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South Dakota State Executive Offices
South Dakota State Legislature
South Dakota Courts
State legislative elections:
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014
South Dakota elections:
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015
Primary elections in South Dakota
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
Partisan composition of state legislatures
Partisan composition of state senates
Partisan composition of state houses

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-6-4," accessed March 28, 2025
  4. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Download a petition," accessed March 28, 2025
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-7-6," accessed March 28, 2025
  6. ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-7-1," accessed March 28, 2025
  7. ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-7-1.1," accessed March 28, 2025
  8. ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-7-5," accessed March 28, 2025
  9. ↑ South Dakota Codified Law, "Title 12-20-21.2," accessed March 28, 2025
  10. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Qualification to Hold Office & Term Limitations," accessed December 18, 2013
  11. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  12. ↑ South Dakota Constitution, "Article 3, Section 7," accessed November 20, 2012
  13. ↑ Black Hills Fox, "South Dakota lawmakers compromise on redistricting map in special session," November 10, 2021


Current members of the South Dakota State Senate
Leadership
Majority Leader:Jim Mehlhaff
Minority Leader:Liz Larson
Senators
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
Tim Reed (R)
District 8
District 9
Joy Hohn (R)
District 10
District 11
District 12
Arch Beal (R)
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
Vacant
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
Sam Marty (R)
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
Republican Party (31)
Democratic Party (3)
Vacancies (1)


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