Government of South Dakota
Encyclopedia
This article is about the government and politics of the U.S. state
of South Dakota
Like that of other US states, the structure of the government of South Dakota is based on that of the federal government, with three branches of government: executive
, legislative
, and judicial
. The structure of the state government is laid out in the Constitution of South Dakota, the highest law in the state. The constitution may be amended either by a majority vote of both houses of the legislature, or by voter initiative.
The Governor of South Dakota
occupies the executive branch of the state government. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican from Garretson
. The state constitution gives the governor the power to either sign into law or veto bills passed by the state legislature, to serve as commander-in-chief of the state's armed forces, to appoint a cabinet
, and to commute criminal sentences or to pardon those convicted of crimes. The governor serves for a four-year term, and may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
The state legislature is made up of two bodies, the Senate, which has 35 members, and the House of Representatives
, with 70 members. South Dakota is divided into 35 legislative districts, with voters electing two representatives and one senator per district. The legislature meets for an annual session which begins on the second Tuesday in January and lasts for 30 days; it also meets if a special session is called by the governor. The Republican Party
currently holds majorities in both houses of the South Dakota Legislature. Currently, the Senate consists of 30 Republicans and 5 Democrats
, while the House of Representatives is made up of 50 Republicans, 19 Democrats and one independent.
The judicial branch is made up of several levels. The state supreme court
, with four justices and a chief justice, is the highest court in the state. Below the supreme court are the circuit courts; 38 circuit judges serve in seven judicial circuits in the state. Below the circuit courts are the magistrate courts
, which deal with more minor criminal and civil actions.
Tim Johnson, Senator John Thune
, and Representative
Kristi Noem
. Johnson is a Democrat, while Thune and Noem are Republicans. South Dakota is one of seven states with only one seat in the US House of Representatives.
In US presidential elections, South Dakota receives three votes in the electoral college
, out of a total of 538. Like most states, South Dakota's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.
South Dakota politics are generally dominated by the Republican Party
, and the state has not supported a Democratic
presidential candidate since 1964 — especially notable when one considers that George McGovern
, the Democratic nominee in 1972, was from South Dakota. In 2004, George W. Bush
won the state's three electoral votes with 59.9% of the vote.
There are only five reliably Democratic counties in the state — most of them with primarily American Indian populations. Republicans have won the last seven gubernatorial elections and have controlled the legislature, with one brief interruption, for over thirty years. Democrats, however, have been successful in winning election to Congress from South Dakota, including former Senators Tom Daschle
, James Abourezk
and George McGovern; current Senator Tim Johnson; and former Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.
While President Bush received a lower vote percentage in 2004 than he did in 2000, he still received a very strong 60% of the popular vote. Part of the deviation had to do with record turnout driven by the intense Senate campaigns that year. Republicans hold a 10% registration advantage over Democrats and hold large majorities in both the state House of Representatives and Senate. Additionally, all but one of the statewide elected officers are Republicans.
In the more than a quarter century between 1979 and 2005, two politicians, one a Republican and one a Democrat, dominated South Dakota politics. Republican Governor Bill Janklow
served four terms as governor 1979-1987 and then from 1995 to 2003 followed by a brief partial term as a United States Representative 2003-2004. Janklow's career was ended by a motor vehicle manslaughter conviction causing his resignation from Congress. Democrat Tom Daschle was also a dominant figure in South Dakota politics, serving in Congress, 1979-2005. He first served eight years in the United States House of Representatives and then eighteen years in the United States Senate after his senate election in 1986. Over a period of ten years, he served both as minority leader and majority leader in the Senate. In 2004, he lost his Senate seat to a Republican, former United States Representative John Thune
, who narrowly defeated Daschle by a 51%-49% margin. Daschle became the first Senate party leader in 52 years to lose re-election to his own Senate seat.
South Dakota has a history of replacing powerful members of the Senate. Former Commerce Committee Chairmam Larry Pressler lost to Congressman Tim Johnson in 1996, and 1972 Democratic Presidential nominee George McGovern was defeated by Congressman James Abdnor
in 1980. Abdnor was, in turn, defeated by Daschle in 1986.
, bisects the state. The area east of the Missouri River (or "East River"), is generally more moderate, with views that are more in line with those found in its Midwestern neighbors, Iowa and Minnesota. "West River" is more conservative, with views that are generally more in line with those found in its western neighbors, Montana and Wyoming. Large exceptions exist to the East River-West River political generalizations, however. The strongest Democratic counties in the state are West River. These counties are located within Indian Reservations. The strongest Republican counties are located East River. These counties were primarily settled by Protestant Germans from Russia, and be they Mennonite, Lutheran, Baptist or Reformed, they vote overwhelmingly Republican. A large part of the western half of East River responds politically in the same fashion as West River. Many observers think that the James River
Valley really is the political dividing line between East River political thought and West River political thought.
By referendum, the electorate rejected an abortion ban approved by the state legislature. 56% of the electorate voted to overturn the law, generally considered a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade
. Additionally, the electorate rejected a proposed law permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and narrowly approved a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The prevailing side received a 52%-48% margin in both cases.
for governor, and Republican Kristi Noem
defeated incumbent Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin for South Dakota's at-large seat in the US House of Representatives. Republican John Thune won a second term as US Senator, running unopposed in 2010.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
Law and government
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, legislative
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, and judicial
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
. The structure of the state government is laid out in the Constitution of South Dakota, the highest law in the state. The constitution may be amended either by a majority vote of both houses of the legislature, or by voter initiative.
The Governor of South Dakota
Governor of South Dakota
The Governor of South Dakota is the head of the executive branch of the government of South Dakota. They are elected to a four year term on even years when there is no Presidential election. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican elected in 2010....
occupies the executive branch of the state government. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican from Garretson
Garretson, South Dakota
Garretson is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,166 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Garretson is located at ....
. The state constitution gives the governor the power to either sign into law or veto bills passed by the state legislature, to serve as commander-in-chief of the state's armed forces, to appoint a cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, and to commute criminal sentences or to pardon those convicted of crimes. The governor serves for a four-year term, and may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
The state legislature is made up of two bodies, the Senate, which has 35 members, and the House of Representatives
South Dakota House of Representatives
The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 70 members, two from each legislative district...
, with 70 members. South Dakota is divided into 35 legislative districts, with voters electing two representatives and one senator per district. The legislature meets for an annual session which begins on the second Tuesday in January and lasts for 30 days; it also meets if a special session is called by the governor. The Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
currently holds majorities in both houses of the South Dakota Legislature. Currently, the Senate consists of 30 Republicans and 5 Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, while the House of Representatives is made up of 50 Republicans, 19 Democrats and one independent.
South Dakota Supreme Court
The South Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state of South Dakota. It is composed of a chief justice and four associate justices appointed by governor and selected from five different appointment districts. Justices face a nonpolitical retention election three years after appointment...
, with four justices and a chief justice, is the highest court in the state. Below the supreme court are the circuit courts; 38 circuit judges serve in seven judicial circuits in the state. Below the circuit courts are the magistrate courts
Limited jurisdiction
Limited jurisdiction, or special jurisdiction, is the courts' jurisdiction only on certain types of cases such as bankruptcy, family matters, etc....
, which deal with more minor criminal and civil actions.
Federal representation
South Dakota is represented at the federal level by SenatorUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Tim Johnson, Senator John Thune
John Thune
John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:...
, and Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Kristi Noem
Kristi Noem
Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem is the U.S. Representative for , serving since January 2011. She is a member of the Republican Party and has been elected to the Republican Leadership for the 112th Congress as one of its two freshman representatives...
. Johnson is a Democrat, while Thune and Noem are Republicans. South Dakota is one of seven states with only one seat in the US House of Representatives.
In US presidential elections, South Dakota receives three votes in the electoral college
United States Electoral College
The Electoral College consists of the electors appointed by each state who formally elect the President and Vice President of the United States. Since 1964, there have been 538 electors in each presidential election...
, out of a total of 538. Like most states, South Dakota's electoral votes are granted in a winner-take-all system.
Politics
| Year | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 54.30% 203,019 | 45.70% 170,886 |
| 2004 | 59.91% 232,584 | 38.44% 149,244 |
| 2000 | 60.3% 190,700 | 37.56% 118,804 |
| 1996 | 46.49% 150,543 | 43.03% 139,333 |
| 1992 | 40.66% 136,718 | 37.14% 124,888 |
| 1988 | 52.85% 165,415 | 46.51% 145,560 |
| 1984 | 63.0% 200,267 | 36.53% 116,113 |
| 1980 | 60.53% 198,343 | 31.69% 103,855 |
| 1976 | 50.39% 151,505 | 48.91% 147,068 |
| 1972 | 54.15% 166,467 | 45.52% 139,945 |
| 1968 | 53.27% 149,841 | 41.96% 118,023 |
| 1964 | 44.39% 130,108 | 55.61% 163,010 |
| 1960 | 58.21% 178,417 | 41.79% 128,070 |
South Dakota politics are generally dominated by the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and the state has not supported a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
presidential candidate since 1964 — especially notable when one considers that George McGovern
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
, the Democratic nominee in 1972, was from South Dakota. In 2004, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
won the state's three electoral votes with 59.9% of the vote.
There are only five reliably Democratic counties in the state — most of them with primarily American Indian populations. Republicans have won the last seven gubernatorial elections and have controlled the legislature, with one brief interruption, for over thirty years. Democrats, however, have been successful in winning election to Congress from South Dakota, including former Senators Tom Daschle
Tom Daschle
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, James Abourezk
James Abourezk
James George Abourezk is a former Democratic United States Representative and United States Senator, and was the first Arab-American to serve in the United States Senate. He represented South Dakota in the U.S...
and George McGovern; current Senator Tim Johnson; and former Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.
While President Bush received a lower vote percentage in 2004 than he did in 2000, he still received a very strong 60% of the popular vote. Part of the deviation had to do with record turnout driven by the intense Senate campaigns that year. Republicans hold a 10% registration advantage over Democrats and hold large majorities in both the state House of Representatives and Senate. Additionally, all but one of the statewide elected officers are Republicans.
In the more than a quarter century between 1979 and 2005, two politicians, one a Republican and one a Democrat, dominated South Dakota politics. Republican Governor Bill Janklow
Bill Janklow
William John "Bill" Janklow served as the 25th Attorney General of South Dakota, before being elected as South Dakota's 27th and 30th Governor, as well as to the United States House of Representatives where he served for a little more than a year. A Republican, Janklow's career has continued as a...
served four terms as governor 1979-1987 and then from 1995 to 2003 followed by a brief partial term as a United States Representative 2003-2004. Janklow's career was ended by a motor vehicle manslaughter conviction causing his resignation from Congress. Democrat Tom Daschle was also a dominant figure in South Dakota politics, serving in Congress, 1979-2005. He first served eight years in the United States House of Representatives and then eighteen years in the United States Senate after his senate election in 1986. Over a period of ten years, he served both as minority leader and majority leader in the Senate. In 2004, he lost his Senate seat to a Republican, former United States Representative John Thune
John Thune
John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:...
, who narrowly defeated Daschle by a 51%-49% margin. Daschle became the first Senate party leader in 52 years to lose re-election to his own Senate seat.
South Dakota has a history of replacing powerful members of the Senate. Former Commerce Committee Chairmam Larry Pressler lost to Congressman Tim Johnson in 1996, and 1972 Democratic Presidential nominee George McGovern was defeated by Congressman James Abdnor
James Abdnor
James Abdnor is a Republican politician from the state of South Dakota.-Personal:He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1945 where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He served in the United States Army during World War II and from 1957 to 1969 was a member of the South Dakota...
in 1980. Abdnor was, in turn, defeated by Daschle in 1986.
Political geography
The Missouri RiverMissouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, bisects the state. The area east of the Missouri River (or "East River"), is generally more moderate, with views that are more in line with those found in its Midwestern neighbors, Iowa and Minnesota. "West River" is more conservative, with views that are generally more in line with those found in its western neighbors, Montana and Wyoming. Large exceptions exist to the East River-West River political generalizations, however. The strongest Democratic counties in the state are West River. These counties are located within Indian Reservations. The strongest Republican counties are located East River. These counties were primarily settled by Protestant Germans from Russia, and be they Mennonite, Lutheran, Baptist or Reformed, they vote overwhelmingly Republican. A large part of the western half of East River responds politically in the same fashion as West River. Many observers think that the James River
James River (Dakotas)
The James River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 710 mi long, draning an area of in the U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota...
Valley really is the political dividing line between East River political thought and West River political thought.
2006 elections
In the 2006 midterm elections, little change occurred in South Dakota in statewide elections. The Republicans defeated the sole Democrat state officeholder previously elected statewide, but lost another statewide elected office to the Democrats. Otherwise all federal and state office holders were comfortably re-elected. The Democrats made a significant gain in the state senate narrowing the Republican margin from 25-10 to 20-15, costing the Republican legislative leadership its two thirds majority in both houses of the legislature.By referendum, the electorate rejected an abortion ban approved by the state legislature. 56% of the electorate voted to overturn the law, generally considered a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
. Additionally, the electorate rejected a proposed law permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and narrowly approved a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The prevailing side received a 52%-48% margin in both cases.
2008 election
Senator Tim Johnson defeated state Sen. Joel Dykstra on November 4, 2008. Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin defeated Rapid City businessman Chris Lien.2010 election
In 2010, Republican Dennis Daugaard defeated Democrat Scott HeidepriemScott Heidepriem
Scott Heidepriem is a Democratic member of the South Dakota Senate, representing the 13th district since 2007. He was the 2010 Democratic nominee for Governor of South Dakota.-Personal life:...
for governor, and Republican Kristi Noem
Kristi Noem
Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem is the U.S. Representative for , serving since January 2011. She is a member of the Republican Party and has been elected to the Republican Leadership for the 112th Congress as one of its two freshman representatives...
defeated incumbent Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin for South Dakota's at-large seat in the US House of Representatives. Republican John Thune won a second term as US Senator, running unopposed in 2010.
U.S. Senators
| Senator | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Johnson | 1997 | present | Democrat |
| Larry Pressler | 1979 | 1997 | Republican |
| James Abourezk James Abourezk James George Abourezk is a former Democratic United States Representative and United States Senator, and was the first Arab-American to serve in the United States Senate. He represented South Dakota in the U.S... |
1973 | 1979 | Democrat |
| Karl E. Mundt | 1948 | 1973 | Republican |
| Vera C. Bushfield Vera C. Bushfield Vera Cahalan Bushfield was a U.S. Senator from South Dakota. Born in Miller, South Dakota, she attended the public schools, graduated from the Stout Institute in Menomonie, Wisconsin and also attended Dakota Wesleyan University and the University of Minnesota.She was appointed on October 6, 1948,... |
1948 | 1948 | Republican |
| Harlan J. Bushfield Harlan J. Bushfield Harlan John Bushfield was a politician from South Dakota. He was born in Atlantic, Iowa in 1882. He moved with his family to South Dakota in 1883, and attended the public schools in Miller, South Dakota. He graduated from Dakota Wesleyan University in 1901, and from the University of Minnesota Law... |
1943 | 1948 | Republican |
| William J. Bulow William J. Bulow William John Bulow was an American politician and a lawyer. He was the first Democratic Governor of South Dakota, receiving the highest vote ever received by a Democratic candidate for governor up to that time,, and then went on to serve as a member of the United States Senate.-Biography:Bulow... |
1931 | 1943 | Democrat |
| William H. McMaster William H. McMaster William Henry McMaster was the tenth Governor of South Dakota, serving from 1921 until 1925, and also a United States Senator from that state. He died at the age of 91 in 1968. He was a member of the Republican Party.... |
1925 | 1931 | Republican |
| Thomas Sterling Thomas Sterling Thomas Sterling was an American politician. A Republican, he served in the United States Senate from 1913 to 1925.-Early life:Sterling, , was born near Amanda, Ohio... |
1913 | 1925 | Republican |
| Robert J. Gamble Robert J. Gamble Robert Jackson Gamble was a U.S. Representative and Senator from South Dakota. He was the father of Ralph Abernethy Gamble and brother of John Rankin Gamble.... |
1901 | 1913 | Republican |
| Richard F. Pettigrew Richard F. Pettigrew Richard Franklin Pettigrew was an American lawyer, surveyor, and land developer. He represented the Dakota Territory in the U.S. Congress and, after the Dakotas were admitted as States, he was the first U.S. Senator from South Dakota.-Biography:Pettigrew was born in Ludlow, Windsor County,... |
1889 | 1901 | Republican |
| Senator | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Thune John Thune John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:... |
2005 | present | Republican |
| Tom Daschle Tom Daschle Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... |
1987 | 2005 | Democrat |
| James Abdnor James Abdnor James Abdnor is a Republican politician from the state of South Dakota.-Personal:He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1945 where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He served in the United States Army during World War II and from 1957 to 1969 was a member of the South Dakota... |
1981 | 1987 | Republican |
| George McGovern George McGovern George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election.... |
1963 | 1981 | Democrat |
| Joseph H. Bottum Joseph H. Bottum Joseph Henry Bottum was a member of the United States Senate from South Dakota.He attended the public schools of Faulkton. He then went on to Yankton College and the University of South Dakota . He graduated from the law school of the University of South Dakota at Vermillion in 1927... |
1962 | 1963 | Republican |
| Francis H. Case Francis H. Case Francis Higbee Case was an American journalist and politician who served for 25 years as a member of the United States Congress from South Dakota. He was a Republican.-Biography:... |
1951 | 1962 | Republican |
| J. Chandler Gurney | 1939 | 1951 | Republican |
| Gladys Pyle Gladys Pyle Gladys Pyle was a South Dakota politician and the first woman elected to the United States Senate without having previously been appointed to her position; she was also the first female senator to serve as a Republican and the first female senator from South Dakota... |
1938 | 1939 | Republican |
| Herbert E. Hitchcock Herbert E. Hitchcock Herbert Emery Hitchcock was a United States Senator from South Dakota.Born in Maquoketa, Iowa, he attended public schools in Iowa and San Jose, California, a business college at Davenport, Iowa, Iowa State College at Ames, and the University of Chicago Law School.He moved to Mitchell, South Dakota... |
1936 | 1938 | Democrat |
| Peter Norbeck Peter Norbeck Peter Norbeck served as the ninth Governor of South Dakota, and as a United States Senator. Norbeck was the first Governor of South Dakota to have been born within the borders of the state.-Biography:... |
1921 | 1936 | Republican |
| Edwin S. Johnson Edwin S. Johnson Edwin Stockton Johnson was a United States Senator from South Dakota.Born near Spencer, Indiana, he moved with his parents to Osceola, Iowa, in 1857 and attended the public schools... |
1915 | 1921 | Democrat |
| Coe I. Crawford Coe I. Crawford Coe Isaac Crawford was the sixth Governor of South Dakota in the United States.-Biography:He was born near Volney, in Allamakee County, Iowa. He attended the common schools and received additional instruction from a private tutor. In 1882, he graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in... |
1909 | 1915 | Republican |
| Alfred B. Kittredge Alfred B. Kittredge Alfred Beard Kittredge was a United States Senator from South Dakota. Born in Nelson, New Hampshire, he attended the public schools and graduated from Yale College in 1882 and from the Yale Law School in 1885... |
1901 | 1909 | Republican |
| James H. Kyle James H. Kyle James Henderson Kyle was an American politician. One of the most successful members of the Populist Party he served for 10 years as a member of the United States Senate from South Dakota from 1891 until his death.... |
1891 | 1901 | Populist |
| Gideon C. Moody Gideon C. Moody Gideon Curtis Moody was an American Senator from South Dakota.-Biography:Born in Cortland, New York, he attended the common schools and pursued an academic course. He studied law in Syracuse, New York and in 1852 moved to Indiana, gaining admission to the bar in 1853. He was appointed prosecuting... |
1889 | 1891 | Republican |