List of governors of South Dakota facts for kids

The governor of South Dakota is like the main leader or "boss" of the U.S. state of South Dakota. They are in charge of the state's government. The current governor is Larry Rhoden, who is part of the Republican Party. He started his term in 2025.

Governors of South Dakota

The area known as Dakota Territory was officially set up on March 2, 1861. Later, on November 2, 1889, it was divided into two separate states: North Dakota and South Dakota.

The rules for the governor of South Dakota are found in the Constitution of South Dakota. At first, governors were elected every two years, and there was no limit on how many times they could serve. In 1947, a rule was added that stopped someone from being nominated if they had already served two terms in a row. This created a term limit.

Then, in 1972, the term length changed to four years. The new rule also officially said that a person could not serve more than two terms in a row. If the governor's job becomes empty for any reason, the lieutenant governor steps in and becomes the new governor.

The Republican Party has held the governor's office in South Dakota since 1979. The last time a Democrat was governor of South Dakota was in 1974. This is the longest time in any U.S. state where one party has not held the governor's office.

Governors 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		Fletcher, James H.James H. Fletcher
						1890		Hoffman, George H.George H. Hoffman
2			Charles H. Sheldon (1840–1898)	January 3, 1893 – January 5, 1897 (did not run)	Republican	1892		Herreid, Charles N.Charles N. Herreid
						1894
3			Andrew E. Lee (1847–1934)	January 5, 1897 – January 8, 1901 (did not run)	Populist	1896		Hindman, Daniel T.Daniel T. Hindman
						1898		Kean, John T.John T. Kean
4			Charles N. Herreid (1857–1928)	January 8, 1901 – January 3, 1905 (did not run)	Republican	1900		Snow, George W.George W. Snow
						1902
5			Samuel H. Elrod (1856–1935)	January 3, 1905 – January 8, 1907 (did not run)	Republican	1904		McDougall, John E.John E. McDougall
6			Coe I. Crawford (1858–1944)	January 8, 1907 – January 5, 1909 (did not run)	Republican	1906		Shober, Howard C.Howard C. Shober
7			Robert S. Vessey (1858–1929)	January 5, 1909 – January 7, 1913 (did not run)	Republican	1908
						1910		Byrne, Frank M.Frank M. Byrne
8			Frank M. Byrne (1858–1927)	January 7, 1913 – January 2, 1917 (did not run)	Republican	1912		Abel, Edward LincolnEdward Lincoln Abel
						1914		Norbeck, PeterPeter Norbeck
9			Peter Norbeck (1870–1936)	January 2, 1917 – January 4, 1921 (did not run)	Republican	1916		McMaster, William H.William H. McMaster
						1918
10			William H. McMaster (1877–1968)	January 4, 1921 – January 6, 1925 (did not run)	Republican	1920		Gunderson, CarlCarl Gunderson
						1922
11			Carl Gunderson (1864–1933)	January 6, 1925 – January 3, 1927 (lost election)	Republican	1924		Forney, Alva ClarkAlva Clark Forney
12			William J. Bulow (1869–1960)	January 3, 1927 – January 6, 1931 (did not run)	Democratic	1926		Covey, Hyatt E.Hyatt E. Covey
						1928		Coyne, Clarence E.Clarence E. Coyne (died May 27, 1929)
								Grigsby, John T.John T. Grigsby
13			Warren Green (1869–1945)	January 6, 1931 – January 3, 1933 (lost election)	Republican	1930		Whitney, Odell K.Odell K. Whitney
14			Tom Berry (1879–1951)	January 3, 1933 – January 5, 1937 (lost election)	Democratic	1932		Ustrud, HansHans Ustrud
						1934		Peterson, RobertRobert Peterson
15			Leslie Jensen (1892–1964)	January 5, 1937 – January 3, 1939 (did not run)	Republican	1936		McMurchie, DonaldDonald McMurchie
16			Harlan J. Bushfield (1882–1948)	January 3, 1939 – January 5, 1943 (did not run)	Republican	1938
						1940		Miller, A. C.A. C. Miller
17			Merrell Q. Sharpe (1888–1962)	January 5, 1943 – January 7, 1947 (lost nomination)	Republican	1942
						1944		Grigsby, Sioux K.Sioux K. Grigsby
18			George T. Mickelson (1903–1965)	January 7, 1947 – January 2, 1951 (did not run)	Republican	1946
						1948		Terry, RexRex 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		Houck, L. RoyL. Roy Houck
						1956
21			Ralph Herseth (1909–1969)	January 6, 1959 – January 3, 1961 (lost election)	Democratic	1958		Lindley, John F.John F. Lindley
22			Archie M. Gubbrud (1910–1987)	January 3, 1961 – January 5, 1965 (did not run)	Republican	1960		Bottum, Joseph H.Joseph H. Bottum
						1962		Boe, NilsNils Boe
23			Nils Boe (1913–1992)	January 5, 1965 – January 7, 1969 (did not run)	Republican	1964		Overpeck, LemLem Overpeck
						1966
24			Frank Farrar (1929–2021)	January 7, 1969 – January 5, 1971 (lost election)	Republican	1968		Abdnor, JamesJames Abdnor
25			Richard F. Kneip (1933–1987)	January 5, 1971 – July 24, 1978 (resigned)	Democratic	1970		Dougherty, WilliamWilliam Dougherty
						1972
						1974		Wollman, HarveyHarvey Wollman
26			Harvey Wollman (1935–2022)	July 24, 1978 – January 1, 1979 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
27			Bill Janklow (1939–2012)	January 1, 1979 – January 10, 1987 (term-limited)	Republican	1978		Hansen II, Lowell C.Lowell C. Hansen II
						1982
28			George S. Mickelson (1941–1993)	January 10, 1987 – April 19, 1993 (died in office)	Republican	1986		Miller, Walter DaleWalter Dale Miller
						1990
29			Walter Dale Miller (1925–2015)	April 19, 1993 – January 7, 1995 (lost nomination)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Kirby, Steve T.Steve T. Kirby
30			Bill Janklow (1939–2012)	January 7, 1995 – January 7, 2003 (term-limited)	Republican	1994		Hillard, CaroleCarole Hillard
						1998
31			Mike Rounds (b. 1954)	January 7, 2003 – January 8, 2011 (term-limited)	Republican	2002		Daugaard, DennisDennis Daugaard
						2006
32			Dennis Daugaard (b. 1953)	January 8, 2011 – January 5, 2019 (term-limited)	Republican	2010		Michels, MattMatt Michels
						2014
33			Kristi Noem (b. 1971)	January 5, 2019 – January 25, 2025 (resigned)	Republican	2018		Rhoden, LarryLarry Rhoden
						2022
34			Larry Rhoden (b. 1959)	January 25, 2025 – Incumbent	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Venhuizen, TonyTony Venhuizen (appointed January 30, 2025)

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#South Dakota
• List of South Dakota state legislatures