South Dakota Voter Guide 2026

Larry Rhoden is South Dakota's incumbent governor and the Republican nominee for a full term, winning the state's first-ever gubernatorial primary runoff on July 28 with about 71% of the vote over Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden. A rancher and former lieutenant governor from Meade County, he became governor in January 2025 when Kristi Noem joined the federal cabinet, and faces Democrat Dan Ahlers in the November 3 g

Priorities: Keep South Dakota's budget balanced and taxes low · Support agriculture, ranching, and property rights · Continue steady, experienced conservative leadership

Dan Ahlers is the Democratic nominee for South Dakota governor, a former state senator and representative from Dell Rapids, small-business owner, and executive director of the state Democratic Party who was the party's 2020 U.S. Senate nominee. His campaign emphasizes putting legislative and business experience to work on costs, education, and health care.

Priorities: Lower costs for South Dakota families · Invest in education and health care systems · Bring balanced, problem-solving leadership after 50 years of one-party control

Mike Rounds is South Dakota's incumbent U.S. senator and the Republican nominee for a third term, winning the June 2 primary with President Trump's endorsement. A former two-term governor and insurance business owner who grew up in Pierre as the oldest of eleven, his campaign emphasizes energy independence, low taxes, and cutting red tape.

Priorities: Achieve energy independence and support South Dakota agriculture · Keep taxes low and cut red tape · Protect freedoms and strengthen national defense

Julian Beaudion is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in South Dakota, a former state trooper who spent 13 years on the Highway Patrol and now owns a family restaurant in Sioux Falls with his wife. The son of a nurse and a math teacher, he co-founded a nonprofit hub that helps underserved entrepreneurs navigate red tape, and his campaign theme is fighting for all South Dakotans.

Priorities: Build a safer, more prosperous South Dakota · Support small businesses and entrepreneurs cutting through red tape · Bring practical, community-rooted problem solving to Washington

Brian Bengs is an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in South Dakota who qualified for the November ballot by petition in April 2026. A Navy veteran, retired Air Force JAG lieutenant colonel, former Northern State University professor, and former national park ranger, he was the Democratic nominee for this seat in 2022 and now runs on the cowboy code: tell the truth and take care of your neighbor.

Priorities: Put truth-telling and neighborliness over hyper-partisanship · Make health care and the economy work for regular South Dakotans · Bring military-style problem solving to a broken Washington

Tony Venhuizen is South Dakota's incumbent lieutenant governor and Governor Larry Rhoden's running mate for the November 3 ballot, per the Rhoden campaign. A former state representative and longtime chief of staff to Governors Dennis Daugaard and Kristi Noem, he also chairs the Rhoden campaign. Under a 2025 law, governor candidates formally designate their lieutenant governor picks by August 11.

Lance Russell is the state's attorney for Fall River and Oglala Lakota counties, a Hot Springs attorney, and the Republican nominee for South Dakota attorney general, chosen at the June 27 state convention on a second round of delegate voting. A former state senator who also serves as city attorney for several southern Black Hills communities, he holds a law degree from the University of South Dakota and a master of

Priorities: Prosecute crime as a working courtroom attorney with two decades of experience · Represent rural counties and tribal-border communities fairly · Apply conservative legal principles to the office

Heather Baxter is a state representative from Rapid City, a fitness center owner, and the Republican nominee for South Dakota secretary of state, winning 59% of delegates at the June 27 state convention over incumbent Monae Johnson. A Freedom Caucus member who carried election bills as a freshman legislator, she campaigns on hand-counted paper ballots and election-security reforms, per her campaign announcement and S

Priorities: Count every vote on paper ballots, hand counted, per her platform · Improve customer service and streamline office processes and fees · Promote civic engagement and election transparency

Terrence Davis is a former state trooper who served in both Tennessee and South Dakota and the Democratic nominee for secretary of state, chosen at the party's June 6 state convention. He holds a criminal justice degree and a master's in public policy and is pursuing a doctorate in law and policy, per the state party's nominee announcement. His campaign site emphasizes secure and accessible voting, especially for rur

Priorities: Keep voting secure and accessible, especially for rural communities · Let 16-year-olds with a driver's license pre-register to vote · Create an investigative division in the office to pursue fraudulent activity

Melissa Hull has been treasury manager in the South Dakota treasurer's office since 2019 and is the Republican nominee for state treasurer, winning 81% of delegates at the June 27 state convention. A lifelong South Dakotan endorsed by term-limited incumbent Josh Haeder, she campaigns on her day-to-day operational experience inside the office, per her campaign site.

Priorities: Apply eight years of hands-on Treasurer's Office operational experience · Keep taxpayer dollars transparent and accountable · Provide clear oversight and department accountability

Margaret Kuipers is a lifelong South Dakotan with working experience across farming, emergency medical services, emergency management, law enforcement, health care, and small business, and the Democratic nominee for state treasurer, chosen at the party's June 6 state convention. Per the state party's nominee announcement, she served as treasurer for the state EMS association and for a 2024 U.S. House campaign.

Priorities: Bring hands-on treasury experience from EMS and campaign finance roles · Serve taxpayers with practical, working-South-Dakotan perspective

Catherine Barranco is a Sioux Falls economist who formerly investigated financial fraud at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Republican nominee for state auditor, winning 53% of delegates on the first round at the June 27 state convention. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in economics, is a small-business owner and past president of the South Dakota Federation of Republican Women, and is en

Priorities: Apply economics and SEC fraud-investigation experience to state audits · Scrutinize budgets, projections, and financial reports · Push government-efficiency reviews of state spending

Tom Cool spent nearly four decades as executive director of the Council on College Admissions in South Dakota and is the Democratic nominee for state auditor, chosen at the party's June 6 state convention. Per the state party's nominee announcement, the Sioux Falls Democrat chairs the Democratic Forum of Southeast Dakota and has run statewide before, including for auditor in 2018 and secretary of state in 2022.

Priorities: Bring decades of nonprofit executive management to the auditor's office · Provide an independent check on one-party state government