Heather Baxter Wins South Dakota Secretary of State
Republican Baxter, a Rapid City state representative, defeated Democrat Terrence Davis and Libertarian Tamara Lesnar in the general election.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Republican Heather Baxter won the South Dakota secretary of state election, defeating Democrat Terrence Davis and Libertarian Tamara Lesnar. The Associated Press called the race for Baxter.
Why it matters
The secretary of state is South Dakota's chief elections officer and serves a four-year term, so the outcome determines who oversees election administration statewide. Baxter had earlier defeated incumbent Monae Johnson at the Republican Party convention.
The secretary of state serves a four-year term as South Dakota's chief elections officer. The extraction does not include vote totals or margin of victory.
The players
Heather Baxter
Heather Baxter is a Republican state representative from District 34 in Rapid City who won South Dakota's secretary of state office.
Monae Johnson
Monae Johnson is the former Republican secretary of state of South Dakota who was defeated by Baxter at the party convention.
The details
Baxter, a Rapid City resident and state representative from District 34, won the general election over Democrat Terrence Davis of Sioux Falls and Libertarian Tamara Lesnar of Grenville. Baxter had earlier defeated incumbent Secretary of State Monae Johnson at the Republican Party convention, and her priorities include updating the secretary of state's website.
Timeline
2022: Monae Johnson defeated Steve Barnett for the Republican nomination at the party convention.
2024: Heather Baxter was elected to the South Dakota House.
November 4, 2026: Heather Baxter won the secretary of state general election.
Election Pattern
Baxter's convention victory over incumbent Monae Johnson follows Johnson's own 2022 convention defeat of Steve Barnett, showing the Republican nomination for this office has recently changed hands at the convention. Her win extends that pattern to a third consecutive contested change in the office's leadership.
As secretary of state, Baxter will serve as South Dakota's chief elections officer for a four-year term, overseeing how voters register and cast ballots. Residents should expect any changes to election administration to come through this office.
The takeaway
The secretary of state's office is the central point for South Dakota's election administration, so voters benefit from tracking who holds it. Following the office's announcements is the most direct way to stay informed about voting rules.
Further reading
For broader context on how state officials are chosen, explore Elections coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kotatv.
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