South Dakota

For the most part, South Dakota has voted Republican in presidential elections, even when native-son George McGovern was the Democratic candidate in 1972. Conservatism runs strong at the local level, although between the two world wars, populist groups gained a broad agrarian following. South Dakotans chose George Bush in 1988 and again in 1992, and in 1996 they gave Republican Bob Dole 46% of the vote. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush received 60% of the vote to Democrat Al Gore's 38%. In 2002 there were 475,984 registered voters. In 1998, 40% were Democratic, 48% Republican, and 12% unaffiliated or members of other parties. The state had three electoral votes in the 2000 presidential election.

In 1994 voters elected Republican William Janklow to the governor's office; Janklow had earlier served in that capacity for two terms, 1979–83 and 1983–87. He was again elected to the job in 1998. Republican Mike Rounds was elected governor in 2002 (Janklow had reached his term limit). Janklow was elected South Dakota's US Representative in 2002, and in August 2003, he was charged with second-degree manslaughter in a fatal automobile collision with a motorcyclist. He also faced charges of failure to stop, speeding, and reckless driving. Janklow had a history of speeding.

Democrat Thomas Daschle won a third term in the Senate in 1998. In 1996, South Dakota's US representative, Democrat Tim Johnson, won the US Senate seat of Larry Pressler, who was seeking a fourth term. There were 25 Republicans, 9 Democrats, and one vacancy in the state senate, and 49 Republicans and 21 Democrats in the state house in mid-2003.

South Dakota Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2000

South Dakota Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2000