There are 105 seats up for election this year in South Dakota’s legislature—35 in the Senate and 70 in the House. Thirty-six incumbents (three Democrats and 33 Republicans) are not running for re-election. This is the highest retirement rate since 2016, when 42 incumbents (10 Democrats and 32 Republicans) retired. The average number of retirements each year from 2010 to 2022 was 32.
South Dakota legislators are limited to serving four two-year terms in each chamber. Eight members of the Senate are term-limited this year, and seven members of the House are term-limited.
The number of contested Republican primaries in South Dakota this year (44) is almost double the average for election cycles from 2010 to 2022 (23). This is the highest number of contested Republican primaries since Ballotpedia began tracking this figure in 2010.
South Dakota has been a Republican trifecta since 1995. Democrats controlled the Senate from 1993-1994.
South Dakota’s state legislative primaries are scheduled for June 4.
