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South Dakota is a landlocked state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota Sioux tribe, which comprises a large portion of the population — with nine reservations currently in the state — and has historically dominated the territory. South Dakota is the 17th-largest by area, but the fifth-least populous, and the fifth-least densely populated of the 50 United States. Pierre is the state capital, and Sioux Falls, with a population of about 213,900, is South Dakota's most populous city. The state is bisected by the Missouri River, dividing South Dakota into two geographically and socially distinct halves, known to residents as "East River" and "West River". South Dakota is bordered by North Dakota to the north, Minnesota to the east, Iowa to the southeast, Nebraska to the south, Wyoming to the west, and Montana to the northwest.
The governor of South Dakota is the head of government of South Dakota. The governor is elected to a four-year term in even years when there is no presidential election. The current governor is Kristi Noem, a member of the Republican Party who took office on January 5, 2019.
Marion Michael Rounds is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator from South Dakota since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 31st governor of South Dakota from 2003 to 2011.
The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 70 members, two from each legislative district. Two of the state's 35 legislative districts, Districts 26 and 28, are each subdivided into two single-member districts. The South Dakota House of Representatives meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre.
The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district. It meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre.
The structure of the government of South Dakota is based on that of the federal government, with three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The structure of the state government is laid out in the Constitution of South Dakota, the highest law in the state. The constitution may be amended either by a majority vote of both houses of the legislature, or by voter initiative.
The South Dakota Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in South Dakota. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling South Dakota's at-large U.S. House seat, both U.S. Senate seats, the governorship, and has supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature. State Sen. John Wiik has served as the party's chairman since 2023.
The South Dakota Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of South Dakota. It is a bicameral legislative body, consisting of the South Dakota Senate, which has 35 members, and the South Dakota House of Representatives, which has 70 members. The two houses are similar in most respects; the Senate alone holds the right to confirm gubernatorial appointments to certain offices. In addition, the Senate votes by roll call vote, whereas the larger house uses an electronic voting system.
Gary L. Cammack is an American politician and a Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives representing District 29 since January 11, 2013.
David L. Anderson is an American politician and a Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives representing District 16 since May 13, 2013. He was appointed by Governor Dennis Daugaard after Patty Miller resigned.
Brock L. Greenfield is an American politician serving as School and Public Lands Commissioner of South Dakota. He previously served as a Republican member of the South Dakota Senate. Greenfield was consecutively a member of the House for District 6 from January 2009 until January 11, 2013, and a member of the South Dakota Senate for District 6 from January 2001 until January 2009. Greenfield has represented District 2 since January 10, 2015.
Phil Jensen, is an American politician from Pennington County, South Dakota who is a current member of the South Dakota House of Representatives and has served as a Republican member of the South Dakota Senate representing District 33 from 2013 to 2021. Jensen served consecutively in the South Dakota Legislature from January 2009 until January 8, 2013 in the South Dakota House of Representatives District 33 seat. He supplements his legislative income as a cookware dealer.
Larry J. Tidemann is a former American politician and a former Republican member of the South Dakota Senate representing District 7 from 2011-2019. Tidemann served consecutively in the South Dakota Legislature from January 2005 until January 11, 2011 in the South Dakota House of Representatives District 7 seat.
Erin Healy is an American politician. She has served as a South Dakota Democratic Party member in the South Dakota House of Representatives since 2019 from district 10. Healy serves as one of eleven Democratic members of the South Dakota Legislature.
South Dakota state elections in 2020 were held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Its primary elections were held on June 2, 2020.
Elections are held in the U.S. state of South Dakota regularly.
The 1934 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1934. Incumbent Democratic Governor Tom Berry ran for re-election to a second term. After defeating an intra-party challenge from Lieutenant Governor Hans Ustrud, Berry faced magazine publisher William C. Allen, who won a crowded Republican primary with a large plurality. Aided by the national environment favoring Democrats, Berry won re-election in a landslide.
The 1938 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1938. Incumbent Republican Governor Leslie Jensen declined to seek re-election and instead unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate. Harlan J. Bushfield, the former chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party, won the Republican primary to succeed Jensen. In the general election, he faced Democratic nominee Oscar Fosheim, a state representative from Miner County, in the general election. Bushfield defeated Fosheim by a relatively close margin, winning his first term as governor.