List of governors of South Dakota facts for kids
The governor of South Dakota is like the main leader of the state of South Dakota. They are in charge of the state government. The current governor is Larry Rhoden, who is part of the Republican Party. He started his term in 2025.
Contents
Understanding the Governor's Role
The governor of South Dakota is a very important job! They are the top leader for the state, making sure things run smoothly and representing South Dakota.
How Governors Are Chosen
Before South Dakota became a state, it was called Dakota Territory. This territory was set up on March 2, 1861. Later, on November 2, 1889, it was divided into two states: North Dakota and South Dakota. That's when South Dakota got its first official governor!
The rules for choosing a governor have changed over time.
- At first, governors and lieutenant governors were elected every two years, and there were no limits on how many times they could serve.
- In 1947, a new rule was made. It said that a person couldn't be nominated by their party if they had already served two terms in a row. This was like setting a limit on how long someone could be governor.
- Then, in 1972, the term length changed to four years. Also, a governor could not serve more than two terms in a row.
- If the governor's job ever becomes empty, the lieutenant governor steps in and becomes the new governor.
Political Parties and Governors
Since 1979, the Republican Party has held the governor's office in South Dakota. The last time the Democratic Party had a governor was in 1974. This is the longest time in any U.S. state where one political party has held the governor's office without the other party winning.
Governors of South Dakota
Here is a list of the people who have served as governor of the State of South Dakota:
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Arthur C. Mellette (1842–1896) |
November 2, 1889 – January 3, 1893 (did not run) |
Republican | 1889 | James H. Fletcher | ||
| 1890 | George H. Hoffman | |||||||
| 2 |  |
Charles H. Sheldon (1840–1898) |
January 3, 1893 – January 5, 1897 (did not run) |
Republican | 1892 | Charles N. Herreid | ||
| 1894 | ||||||||
| 3 |  |
Andrew E. Lee (1847–1934) |
January 5, 1897 – January 8, 1901 (did not run) |
Populist | 1896 | Daniel T. Hindman | ||
| 1898 | John T. Kean | |||||||
| 4 |  |
Charles N. Herreid (1857–1928) |
January 8, 1901 – January 3, 1905 (did not run) |
Republican | 1900 | George W. Snow | ||
| 1902 | ||||||||
| 5 |  |
Samuel H. Elrod (1856–1935) |
January 3, 1905 – January 8, 1907 (did not run) |
Republican | 1904 | John E. McDougall | ||
| 6 |  |
Coe I. Crawford (1858–1944) |
January 8, 1907 – January 5, 1909 (did not run) |
Republican | 1906 | Howard C. Shober | ||
| 7 |  |
Robert S. Vessey (1858–1929) |
January 5, 1909 – January 7, 1913 (did not run) |
Republican | 1908 | |||
| 1910 | Frank M. Byrne | |||||||
| 8 |  |
Frank M. Byrne (1858–1927) |
January 7, 1913 – January 2, 1917 (did not run) |
Republican | 1912 | Edward Lincoln Abel | ||
| 1914 | Peter Norbeck | |||||||
| 9 |  |
Peter Norbeck (1870–1936) |
January 2, 1917 – January 4, 1921 (did not run) |
Republican | 1916 | William H. McMaster | ||
| 1918 | ||||||||
| 10 |  |
William H. McMaster (1877–1968) |
January 4, 1921 – January 6, 1925 (did not run) |
Republican | 1920 | Carl Gunderson | ||
| 1922 | ||||||||
| 11 |  |
Carl Gunderson (1864–1933) |
January 6, 1925 – January 3, 1927 (lost election) |
Republican | 1924 | Alva Clark Forney | ||
| 12 |  |
William J. Bulow (1869–1960) |
January 3, 1927 – January 6, 1931 (did not run) |
Democratic | 1926 | Hyatt E. Covey | ||
| 1928 | Clarence E. Coyne (died May 27, 1929) |
|||||||
| John T. Grigsby | ||||||||
| 13 |  |
Warren Green (1869–1945) |
January 6, 1931 – January 3, 1933 (lost election) |
Republican | 1930 | Odell K. Whitney | ||
| 14 |  |
Tom Berry (1879–1951) |
January 3, 1933 – January 5, 1937 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1932 | Hans Ustrud | ||
| 1934 | Robert Peterson | |||||||
| 15 |  |
Leslie Jensen (1892–1964) |
January 5, 1937 – January 3, 1939 (did not run) |
Republican | 1936 | Donald McMurchie | ||
| 16 | .png) |
Harlan J. Bushfield (1882–1948) |
January 3, 1939 – January 5, 1943 (did not run) |
Republican | 1938 | |||
| 1940 | A. C. Miller | |||||||
| 17 |  |
Merrell Q. Sharpe (1888–1962) |
January 5, 1943 – January 7, 1947 (lost nomination) |
Republican | 1942 | |||
| 1944 | Sioux K. Grigsby | |||||||
| 18 |  |
George T. Mickelson (1903–1965) |
January 7, 1947 – January 2, 1951 (did not run) |
Republican | 1946 | |||
| 1948 | Rex Terry | |||||||
| 19 |  |
Sigurd Anderson (1904–1990) |
January 2, 1951 – January 4, 1955 (did not run) |
Republican | 1950 | |||
| 1952 | ||||||||
| 20 |  |
Joe Foss (1915–2003) |
January 4, 1955 – January 6, 1959 (did not run) |
Republican | 1954 | L. Roy Houck | ||
| 1956 | ||||||||
| 21 |  |
Ralph Herseth (1909–1969) |
January 6, 1959 – January 3, 1961 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1958 | John F. Lindley | ||
| 22 | .jpg) |
Archie M. Gubbrud (1910–1987) |
January 3, 1961 – January 5, 1965 (did not run) |
Republican | 1960 | Joseph H. Bottum | ||
| 1962 | Nils Boe | |||||||
| 23 |  |
Nils Boe (1913–1992) |
January 5, 1965 – January 7, 1969 (did not run) |
Republican | 1964 | Lem Overpeck | ||
| 1966 | ||||||||
| 24 |  |
Frank Farrar (1929–2021) |
January 7, 1969 – January 5, 1971 (lost election) |
Republican | 1968 | James Abdnor | ||
| 25 |  |
Richard F. Kneip (1933–1987) |
January 5, 1971 – July 24, 1978 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1970 | William Dougherty | ||
| 1972 | ||||||||
| 1974 | Harvey Wollman | |||||||
| 26 |  |
Harvey Wollman (1935–2022) |
July 24, 1978 – January 1, 1979 (lost nomination) |
Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
| 27 | .jpg) |
Bill Janklow (1939–2012) |
January 1, 1979 – January 10, 1987 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1978 | Lowell C. Hansen II | ||
| 1982 | ||||||||
| 28 | .jpeg) |
George S. Mickelson (1941–1993) |
January 10, 1987 – April 19, 1993 (died in office) |
Republican | 1986 | Walter Dale Miller | ||
| 1990 | ||||||||
| 29 |  |
Walter Dale Miller (1925–2015) |
April 19, 1993 – January 7, 1995 (lost nomination) |
Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Steve T. Kirby | ||
| 30 | |
Bill Janklow (1939–2012) |
January 7, 1995 – January 7, 2003 (term-limited) |
Republican | 1994 | Carole Hillard | ||
| 1998 | ||||||||
| 31 |  |
Mike Rounds (b. 1954) |
January 7, 2003 – January 8, 2011 (term-limited) |
Republican | 2002 | Dennis Daugaard | ||
| 2006 | ||||||||
| 32 |  |
Dennis Daugaard (b. 1953) |
January 8, 2011 – January 5, 2019 (term-limited) |
Republican | 2010 | Matt Michels | ||
| 2014 | ||||||||
| 33 | .jpg) |
Kristi Noem (b. 1971) |
January 5, 2019 – January 25, 2025 (resigned) |
Republican | 2018 | Larry Rhoden | ||
| 2022 | ||||||||
| 34 | .jpg) |
Larry Rhoden (b. 1959) |
January 25, 2025 – Incumbent |
Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor |
Vacant | ||
See also
- Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#South Dakota
- List of South Dakota state legislatures
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List of governors of South Dakota Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.