Coverage of politics in South Dakota focuses on government, elections, policy and civic life. The reporting follows the legislature, state agencies, local government decisions and the public officials leading them.
Fosness, appointed in July 2025, won a first full term representing South Dakota's District 1 in the state House.
Live Poll
Do you think South Dakota's state taxes are getting better or worse for your household?
The state will honor four deceased service members with bridge naming ceremonies on November 11, 2026.
Russell, a former state lawmaker and current state's attorney, will succeed Marty Jackley, who is running for the U.S. House seat.
Live Poll
Should it be harder for voters to amend your state's constitution by increasing the required majority?
The Heartland Values PAC contributed $40,000 to the campaign supporting a higher constitutional amendment threshold.
Just under half of registered South Dakota voters cast ballots in the 2026 general election, the lowest rate recorded since at least 1964.
Live Poll
Would you vote for a Democratic candidate for statewide office in South Dakota?
Democrats failed to win any statewide office in South Dakota on Election Day, even as they flipped Republican seats nationally.
Regular subjects here include legislative sessions and the laws they pass, election cycles, polling trends and executive actions. It reaches from the capital to the rural counties, encompassing the entire state. Seasonal patterns follow the legislative calendar, which dictates when major policy shifts are introduced and debated. Funding allocation and administrative implementation represent the two constraints that impact most policy stories.
