The South Dakota executive branch consists of the governor, lieutenant governor, and the state agencies. In South Dakota, the governor can be elected for two consecutive four-year terms with no term limits.
South Dakota
South Dakota entered the Union on November 2, 1889 as the 40th state. South Dakota entered the Union as part of the division of Dakota Territory, and its civic life has long been shaped by prairie agriculture, tribal nations, Black Hills history, and rural representation. Today its state government is centered in Pierre and follows the common pattern of a governor and a bicameral legislature with a Senate and House of Representatives.
Government & Representation
South Dakota is governed by an elected governor and a bicameral legislature composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Pierre anchors a statewide system where the legislature plays a major role in budget policy, agriculture, rural services, and constitutional change.
South Dakota has a bicameral legislature, named the South Dakota State Legislature, which consists of the South Dakota House of Representatives and the South Dakota Senate. The House has 70 members representing 35 districts, with members serving a two-year term. The Senate has 35 members representing 35 districts, each serving a two-year term. Members of the South Dakota State Legislature may not serve more than four terms in either chamber.
In South Dakota, the judiciary has three general levels. The Magistrate Courts are the lowest level courts, which focus on cases involving specific subject matter, such as traffic violations, small claims, and misdemeanor offenses. The South Dakota Circuit Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction. The South Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state.
Use an address in South Dakota to identify the federal and state officials who represent that address.
Official South Dakota legislature tools
Find your South Dakota legislator
South Dakota legislature website
Upcoming Elections in SD
No upcoming elections for SD are available in Google Civic right now.
Voting basics
- Check registration
Confirm that your voter registration is active with your state election office.
- Register/update online
Register to vote online or update your name, address, or party information when your state allows it.
- Mail registration
Download or review the mail registration process and deadlines for this state.
- In-person registration
Find out whether you can register in person before Election Day or at your polling place.
- Military/overseas voting
Access voting guidance for military members, their families, and citizens living overseas.
- Polling place finder
Look up where to vote in person and review any location details provided by the state.
Population, housing, education, language, workforce, geography, and industry data for the state.
Population
Population, income, and race
Race and ethnicity
Housing
Housing costs and affordability
Median owner costs with a mortgage: $1,625; median gross rent: $921; renters spending 35% or more of income on housing: 33.0%
Work
Labor force, industries, and major employers
Labor force
Largest industries
Education and Language
Education and language
Education
Language
These charts show educational attainment and language spoken at home using statewide Census data.
Historical trends
These long-run charts keep the economic pressure points in one place: income, wages, rent, housing, tuition, and healthcare. Together they show how the balance between pay and basic costs has shifted over time.
Median household income
South DakotaOfficial statewide median household income. The adjusted line converts each year into current dollars so visitors can compare purchasing power over time.
Average rent
South DakotaBuilt from the Census median gross rent series and shown here as the clearest statewide rent trend available across time.
Average home price
South DakotaBuilt from the Census median home value series as a statewide housing-price proxy. The adjusted line puts past values into current dollars.
State minimum wage
South DakotaWhere a clean state series is available, this chart shows the statewide minimum wage over time and the same values expressed in current dollars.
Federal minimum wage
South DakotaA national context chart showing how the federal wage floor has changed and how much buying power it has lost or gained in current dollars.
College tuition cost
South DakotaA national price index for tuition and school fees. The adjusted line removes overall inflation so visitors can see whether tuition has outpaced the broader cost of living.
Healthcare cost
South DakotaA national medical-care price index. The adjusted line removes overall inflation so the chart shows the real rise in health-related costs.
Focus on the statewide economic picture: income, work, housing costs, labor conditions, major public companies, wage rules, and education and language context.
Core statewide measures of income, work, labor conditions, and total economic output.
Housing costs
A quick view of statewide housing costs and affordability pressure.
Median owner costs with a mortgage: $1,625; median gross rent: $921; renters spending 35% or more of income on housing: 33.0%
Education and Language
Helpful social context for understanding the statewide workforce, household opportunity, and public-service needs.
Education
Language
Current statewide wage rules, tipped cash wages when available, and the biggest official regional differences.
Tipped cash wage set at 50% of the applicable minimum wage.
$4.85 above the current federal floor of $7.
State page highlights major official differences and coverage rules rather than every local ordinance.
Current snapshot effective
January 1, 2026
This section organizes nonpartisan state-level resources that help people follow public decisions, review official disclosures, request records, and move from information toward civic participation.
The goal is practical accountability: clearer institutions, easier public access, and straightforward paths for people who want to understand how state government operates and how to engage it.
Transparency & public records
Public accountability starts with access. These links help people read the rules, review public information, and understand how the state says government should work.
- Official state homepageThe main statewide government homepage and agency directory.
- State constitutionRead the governing charter that defines state institutions, powers, and limits.
Money, oversight, and accountability
These resources help people follow how power is organized, how money is disclosed, and where to start when they want to monitor public decision-making.
- State legislature websiteBrowse sessions, calendars, committees, bill text, and member information.
- Legislative searchSearch legislators, bills, or legislative activity using the state’s own tools when available.
- Congressional delegation pageJump to the state page’s federal delegation section for senators and House members.
Civic participation
Accountability also depends on participation. These links make it easier for people to register, verify local information, and connect statewide systems to action in their own community.
- Secretary of state or election officeOfficial statewide election administration, rules, deadlines, and voter guidance.
- Voter registrationCheck registration, register, or update voter information when the state provides an online tool.
- Polling place finderFind polling locations or in-person voting sites when a statewide tool is available.
- Absentee or mail votingReview official absentee and vote-by-mail rules, forms, and deadlines.
- Local election resourcesFind county or municipal election offices from the statewide system.
- Find representatives by addressUse Amplified’s address search to move from statewide context to the officials who represent a specific address.
Keep the most useful statewide civic resources in one place without repeating the links already covered elsewhere on the page.
Official state resources
Use this section for the broad statewide civic resources that are not already explained in more detail elsewhere on the page.
- Official state homepageThe statewide government homepage.
- Secretary of state or election officeOfficial statewide election administration and voter guidance.
Local election and county resources
These links help visitors move from statewide information into local offices and county-level tools.
- Local election resourcesOfficial state or local pages that point visitors to county and municipal election resources.
Library of Congress guide references
Additional statewide civic and legal reference links that are not already covered elsewhere on this page.
- South Dakota Attorney General Opinions
- South Dakota Governor
- South Dakota Administrative Rules
- South Dakota Attorney General
- South Dakota Secretary of State
- GODORT South Dakota State Agency Databases External
- Library of CongressLibrary of Congress Research Guides
- Ask a LibrarianLaw Library: Ask a Librarian
- RSS feeds and email alertsFollow Us Read more about the Law Library's global collections by subscribing to our RSS feeds and email alerts, following our blog In Custodia Legis, and finding our…
- In Custodia LegisFollow Us Read more about the Law Library's global collections by subscribing to our RSS feeds and email alerts, following our blog In Custodia Legis, and finding our…
- South Dakota Register
- South Dakota Secreaty of State - Elections and Voting
- South Dakota Supreme Court Opinions
- U.S. Court of Appeals Opinions
- Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals(govinfo) 2004 - current South Dakota is part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. South Dakota has one federal district court, the U.S. Federal District Court for…
- District of South Dakota(govinfo) 2004 - current South Dakota is part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. South Dakota has one federal district court, the U.S. Federal District Court for…
- Bankruptcy Court(govinfo) 2004 - current South Dakota is part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. South Dakota has one federal district court, the U.S. Federal District Court for…
- Ask a LibrarianLaw Library: Ask a Librarian
- RSS feeds and email alertsFollow Us Read more about the Law Library's global collections by subscribing to our RSS feeds and email alerts, following our blog In Custodia Legis, and finding our…
- In Custodia LegisFollow Us Read more about the Law Library's global collections by subscribing to our RSS feeds and email alerts, following our blog In Custodia Legis, and finding our…
- South Dakota Unified Judicial System
- Facebook ExternalFollow Us Read more about the Law Library's global collections by subscribing to our RSS feeds and email alerts, following our blog In Custodia Legis, and finding our…
- Twitter ExternalFollow Us Read more about the Law Library's global collections by subscribing to our RSS feeds and email alerts, following our blog In Custodia Legis, and finding our…
- South Dakota Opinions Search External
- South Dakota Session Laws
- South Dakota Codified Laws
- South Dakota Bills
- South Dakota Legislature
- Library of CongressLibrary of Congress Research Guides
- Ask a LibrarianLaw Library: Ask a Librarian
- RSS feeds and email alertsFollow Us Read more about the Law Library's global collections by subscribing to our RSS feeds and email alerts, following our blog In Custodia Legis, and finding our…
- In Custodia LegisFollow Us Read more about the Law Library's global collections by subscribing to our RSS feeds and email alerts, following our blog In Custodia Legis, and finding our…
- Library of Congress LegalLibrary of Congress Legal SpringShare Privacy Policy
- State Resource GuideLibrary of Congress guide for broad state-government reference materials.