Clay County, South Dakota

South Dakota Senate District 18

2 candidates are tracked for South Dakota Senate District 18 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Kay Swihart and Lauren Nelson. Candidate information follows official Clay County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Kay Swihart (Democratic), Lauren Nelson (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for South Dakota Senate District 18. Lauren Nelson is the sitting member, per the Legislature's 2026 session roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the South Dakota Secretary of State's 2026 general-election candidate list.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Lauren Nelson, is on the ballot.

South Dakota › Clay County › South Dakota Senate District 18

Kay Swihart

Democratic

Top priorities

Improve affordability of health and home insurance
Support Medicaid expansion and competitive pay for teachers and paraprofessionals
Increase public school funding and government transparency around data centers and taxes

Per the South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

Biography

Kay Swihart is a Yankton area Democrat running for South Dakota Senate District 18, per South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Swihart spent 14 years at Southern California Edison working in utility operations, transmission and substation construction, accounting and regulatory research, and has also worked in public schools and banking and co-founded a nonprofit organization, per South Dakota Public Broadcasting. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Lauren Nelson

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities

Focus on juvenile incarceration, K-12 education, taxes and government spending
Address community concerns about data centers, including energy demand, infrastructure needs and water use

Per the South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

Biography

Lauren Nelson is the incumbent state senator for South Dakota Senate District 18, per the South Dakota Legislature's official roster. She has 20 years of experience as a teacher and administrator and describes herself as a farm wife, per South Dakota Public Broadcasting. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Next on your ballotSouth Dakota House District 17

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for South Dakota Senate District 18 in 2026?

When is the South Dakota Senate District 18 election in South Dakota?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for South Dakota are on the South Dakota election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Clay County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Clay County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official South Dakota election office, or see the full Clay County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Clay County ballot

4 tracked races in Clay County, South Dakota. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

South Dakota House District 18 South Dakota Senate District 17 See all 4 Clay County races

Candidate profiles

Kay Swihart, full profile Lauren Nelson, full profile Official South Dakota election office