South Dakota 2014 Election Results

South Dakota held its general election on November 4, 2014, deciding 105 legislative seats across 70 districts and 6 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.

Highlights

• Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R) won re-election by the largest margin in South Dakota gubernatorial history, and Republicans kept their trifecta and two-thirds majorities in both chambers.
• Daugaard beat state Rep. Susan Wismer (D) by about 45 points, with independent Michael Myers (I) a distant third. Smart Politics found the margin topped the previous record, set in an open 1904 race, by 1.4 points.
• Republicans went from 53-17 to 58-12 in the House, Democrats' worst showing since 1966, while slipping one Senate seat to 27-8. Much of the swing came from Democratic House members moving up:
  • Reps. Jim Peterson (D), Scott Parsley (D), and Bernie Hunhoff (D) won Republican-held Senate seats in Districts 4, 8, and 18, and Republicans took the House seats they left behind.
  • In District 18 the trade was direct: Sen. Jean Hunhoff (R) won the House seat Bernie Hunhoff gave up.
  • Brock Greenfield (R) unseated Sen. Chuck Welke (D) by about 450 votes in Senate District 2, and Rep. Kathy Tyler (D) lost her seat as Republicans swept both seats in House District 4.
  • Arthur Rusch (R) took the open Senate District 17, a Democratic seat, by about 1,100 votes over Michelle Maloney (D).
• Rep. Paula Hawks (D) held on to the second of House District 9's two seats by eight votes over Bob Deelstra (R); a Minnehaha County recount produced the same totals.
• Republicans also swept the other statewide offices: Attorney General Marty Jackley (R) and Auditor Steve Barnett (R) faced only Libertarian opponents, and Shantel Krebs (R) won the open secretary of state's office.
• Voters passed all 3 ballot measures. Initiated Measure 18 raised the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 an hour; Initiated Measure 17 requires health insurers to include all willing and qualified providers; and Amendment Q let the legislature allow roulette, keno, and craps in Deadwood.

Legislature

• House (70 seats): 17 D, 53 R before the election, 12 D, 58 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
• Senate (35 seats): 7 D, 28 R before the election, 8 D, 27 R after; control stayed with Republicans.

Statewide races

Legislative races

Ballot measures