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2026 South Dakota Senate election

The 2026 South Dakota Senate election will be held on November 3, 2026, alongside the other 2026 United States elections. Voters will elect members of the South Dakota Senate in all 35 of the U.S. state of South Dakota's legislative districts to serve a two-year term.

Retirements

Senators serving continuously since the 2018 general election are ineligible to serve another consecutive term.

Democrat

  1. District 15: Jamie Smith is running for mayor of Sioux Falls.
  2. District 27: Red Dawn Foster is term-limited.

Republican

  1. District 2: Steve Kolbeck is retiring.

Predictions

Overview

Detailed results

District 1

The incumbent senator for District 1 is Republican Michael Rohl, first elected in 2020. At the 2024 general election, he was re-elected unopposed. He is running for re-election. Should he win another term, he will be ineligible to run in 2028.

Republican primary

Declared

District 2

The incumbent senator for District 2 is Republican Steve Kolbeck, first elected in 2022. At the 2024 general election, he was re-elected unopposed. He is retiring.

Republican primary

Declared
  • David Kull, state representative from this district (2023–present)
  • John Sjaarda, state representative from this district (2023–present)
Withdrawn
  • Manuel Luschas (running for state representative)
Declined
  • Steve Kolbeck, incumbent senator (running for Republican Precinct Committeman in Minnehaha County)

District 3

The incumbent senator for District 3 is Republican Carl E. Perry, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared
  • Carl E. Perry, incumbent senator
  • Katherine Washnok, candidate for this district in 2024

District 4

The incumbent senator for District 4 is Republican Stephanie Sauder, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. She is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 5

The incumbent senator for District 5 is Republican Glen Vilhauer, first elected in 2024 with 71.1 percent of the vote at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 6

The incumbent senator for District 6 is Republican Ernie Otten, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election, though he has previously served four terms from 2013 to 2021. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 7

The incumbent senator for District 7 is Republican Tim Reed, first elected in 2022. At the 2024 general election, he was re-elected unopposed. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 8

The incumbent senator for District 8 is Republican Casey Crabtree, first appointed in 2020. At the 2024 general election, he was re-elected unopposed. He is running for re-election. Should he win another term, he will be ineligible to run in 2028.

Republican primary

Declared
Withdrawn
  • Todd Wilkinson (running for state representative)

District 9

The incumbent senator for District 9 is Republican Joy Hohn, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. She is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared
  • Daryl Christensen, candidate for state representative from this district in 2024
  • Joy Hohn, incumbent senator

District 10

The incumbent senator for District 10 is Democrat Liz Larson, first elected in 2022. At the 2024 general election, she was re-elected unopposed. She is running for re-election.

Democratic primary

Declared

Republican primary

Declared
  • Michael Dupic (initial candidacy successfully challenged, but successfully petitioned again)

District 11

The incumbent senator for District 11 is Republican Chris Karr, first elected in 2024 with 58.9 percent of the vote at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared
  • Chris Karr, incumbent senator
  • Graham Oey, attorney

Democratic primary

Declared
  • Aaron Matson, nominee for state representative from this district in 2024 and nominee for Treasurer in 2018

District 12

The incumbent senator for District 12 is Republican Arch Beal, first elected in 2022. He was re-elected in 2024 with 55.7 percent of the vote at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared
  • Arch Beal, incumbent senator
  • Kari Shanard-Koenders, executive director of the state Board of Pharmacy

District 13

The incumbent senator for District 13 is Republican Sue Peterson, first elected in 2024 with 58.5 percent of the vote at the general election. She is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 14

The incumbent senator for District 14 is Republican Larry Zikmund, first elected in 2020. He was re-elected in 2024 with 54.6 percent of the vote at the general election. He is running for re-election. Should he win another term, he will be ineligible to run in 2028.

Republican primary

Declared
  • R. Shawn Tornow, former state representative from this district (2011–2013)
  • Larry Zikmund, incumbent senator

District 15

The incumbent senator for District 15 is Democrat Jamie Smith, first elected in 2024 with 52.4 percent of the vote at the general election. He is retiring.

Democratic primary

Declared
  • Erik Muckey, state representative from this district (2025–present)
Declined

District 16

The incumbent senator for District 16 is Republican Kevin D. Jensen, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 17

The incumbent senator for District 17 is Republican Sydney Davis, first elected in 2022. She was re-elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. She is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 18

The incumbent senator for District 18 is Republican Lauren Nelson, first elected in 2024 with 57.2 percent of the vote at the general election. She is running for re-election, facing a primary bid from former senator Jean Hunhoff, who she had narrowly beat in the 2024 Republican primary with 52.0 percent of the vote.

Republican primary

Declared

Democratic primary

Declared
  • Kay Swihart

District 19

The incumbent senator for District 19 is Republican Kyle Schoenfish, first elected in 2020. He was re-elected in 2024 with 77.2 percent of the vote at the general election. He is running for re-election. Should he win another term, he will be ineligible to run in 2028.

Republican primary

Declared

Democratic primary

Declared
  • Russell Graeff, nominee for this district in 2022 and 2016

District 20

The incumbent senator for District 20 is Republican Paul Miskimins, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 21

The incumbent senator for District 21 is Republican Mykala Voita, first elected in 2024 with 77.1 percent of the vote at the general election. She is running for re-election, facing a primary bid from former senator Erin Tobin, who she had narrowly beat in the 2024 Republican primary with 50.7 percent of the vote.

Republican primary

Declared

District 22

The incumbent senator for District 22 is Republican Brandon Wipf, first appointed in 2025. He replaced Republican David Wheeler, who was re-elected in 2024 with 73.2 percent of the vote at the general election. Wipf is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 23

The incumbent senator for District 23 is Republican Mark Lapka, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 24

The incumbent senator for District 24 is Republican Jim Mehlhaff, first elected in 2022. He was re-elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 25

The incumbent senator for District 25 is Republican Tom Pischke, first elected in 2022. He was re-elected in 2024 with 72.7 of the vote at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 26

The incumbent senator for District 26 is Republican Tamara Grove, first elected in 2024 with 57.3 of the vote at the general election. She is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

Democratic primary

Declared
  • Shawn Bordeaux, former senator from this district (2023–2025)
  • Luke Lunderman, candidate for state representative from District 26A in 2018

District 27

The incumbent senator for District 27 is Democrat Red Dawn Foster, first elected in 2018. She was re-elected in 2024 with 52.0 of the vote at the general election. She ineligible for a fifth consecutive term.

Democratic primary

Declared
Term-limited

Republican primary

Declared

District 28

The incumbent senator for District 28 is Republican J. Sam Marty, first elected in 2024 with 64.1 of the vote at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared
  • J. Sam Marty, incumbent senator
  • Ryan Maher, former senator from this district (2007–2015, 2017–2025)

District 29

The incumbent senator for District 29 is Republican John Carley, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 30

The incumbent senator for District 30 is Republican Amber Hulse, first elected in with 74.4 of the vote at the general election. She is running for re-election, facing a primary bid from former senator Julie Frye-Mueller, who she had narrowly beat in the 2024 Republican primary with 45.9 percent of the vote.

Republican primary

Declared

District 31

The incumbent senator for District 31 is Republican Randy Deibert, first elected in 2022. He was re-elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

District 32

The incumbent senator for District 32 is Republican Helene Duhamel, first appointed in 2019. She was re-elected in 2024 with 60.0 percent of the vote at the general election. She is running for re-election. Should she win another term, she will be ineligible to run in 2028.

Republican primary

Declared
  • Helene Duhamel, incumbent senator
  • Karen McNeal, independent candidate for this district in 2024

Democratic primary

Declared
  • Jeff Shelton, archaeologist

District 33

The incumbent senator for District 33 is Republican Curt Voight, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election, facing a primary bid from former senator David Johnson, who he had beat in the 2024 Republican primary with 55.8 percent of the vote.

Republican primary

Declared

Democratic primary

Declared
  • Christopher Baumgartner

District 34

The incumbent senator for District 34 is Republican Taffy Howard, first elected in 2024 with 60.2 percent of the vote at the general election. She is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared
  • Jason E. Green, candidate for this district in 2024
  • Taffy Howard, incumbent senator

Democratic primary

Declared
  • Michael Calabrese, nominee for the 32nd district in 2020

District 35

The incumbent senator for District 35 is Republican Greg Blanc, first elected in 2024 unopposed at the general election. He is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Declared

References