# List of governors of South Dakota

The governor of South Dakota is the head of government of the U.S. state of South Dakota. The current governor is Larry Rhoden, representing the Republican Party, serving since 2025.

## Governors

Dakota Territory was organized on March 2, 1861; on November 2, 1889, it was split into the states of North Dakota and South Dakota.
The Constitution of South Dakota originally provided for the election of a governor and lieutenant governor every two years with no limits. A law passed in 1947 prohibited parties from nominating someone who had served two consecutive terms, effectively creating a term limit, and an amendment in 1972 increased term lengths to four years while formally prohibiting someone from serving three consecutive terms. Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.
The Republican Party has been in control of the governorship continuously since 1979, Democrats last won the governorship of South Dakota in 1974. This is the longest drought of any state where the opposite party last held the office.
Governors of the State of South Dakota :
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | Lt. Governor |
| 1 | Arthur C. Mellette (1842–1896) | November 2, 1889 – January 3, 1893 (did not run) | Republican | 1889 | | James H. Fletcher |
| 1 | Arthur C. Mellette (1842–1896) | November 2, 1889 – January 3, 1893 (did not run) | Republican | 1890 | | George H. Hoffman |
| 2 | Charles H. Sheldon (1840–1898) | January 3, 1893 – January 5, 1897 (did not run) | Republican | 1892 | | Charles N. Herreid |
| 2 | Charles H. Sheldon (1840–1898) | January 3, 1893 – January 5, 1897 (did not run) | Republican | 1894 | | Charles N. Herreid |
| 3 | Andrew E. Lee (1847–1934) | January 5, 1897 – January 8, 1901 (did not run) | Populist | 1896 | | Daniel T. Hindman |
| 3 | Andrew E. Lee (1847–1934) | January 5, 1897 – January 8, 1901 (did not run) | Populist | 1898 | | John T. Kean |
| 4 | Charles N. Herreid (1857–1928) | January 8, 1901 – January 3, 1905 (did not run) | Republican | 1900 | | George W. Snow |
| 4 | Charles N. Herreid (1857–1928) | January 8, 1901 – January 3, 1905 (did not run) | Republican | 1902 | | George W. Snow |
| 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 | | Howard C. Shober |
| 7 | Robert S. Vessey (1858–1929) | January 5, 1909 – January 7, 1913 (did not run) | Republican | 1910 | | Frank M. Byrne |
| 8 | Frank M. Byrne (1858–1927) | January 7, 1913 – January 2, 1917 (did not run) | Republican | 1912 | | Edward Lincoln Abel |
| 8 | Frank M. Byrne (1858–1927) | January 7, 1913 – January 2, 1917 (did not run) | Republican | 1914 | | Peter Norbeck |
| 9 | Peter Norbeck (1870–1936) | January 2, 1917 – January 4, 1921 (did not run) | Republican | 1916 | | William H. McMaster |
| 9 | Peter Norbeck (1870–1936) | January 2, 1917 – January 4, 1921 (did not run) | Republican | 1918 | | William H. McMaster |
| 10 | William H. McMaster (1877–1968) | January 4, 1921 – January 6, 1925 (did not run) | Republican | 1920 | | Carl Gunderson |
| 10 | William H. McMaster (1877–1968) | January 4, 1921 – January 6, 1925 (did not run) | Republican | 1922 | | Carl Gunderson |
| 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 |
| 12 | William J. Bulow (1869–1960) | January 3, 1927 – January 6, 1931 (did not run) | Democratic | 1928 | | Clarence E. Coyne (died May 27, 1929) |
| 12 | William J. Bulow (1869–1960) | January 3, 1927 – January 6, 1931 (did not run) | Democratic | 1928 | | 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 |
| 14 | Tom Berry (1879–1951) | January 3, 1933 – January 5, 1937 (lost election) | Democratic | 1934 | | Robert Peterson |
| 15 | Leslie Jensen (1892–1964) | January 5, 1937 – January 3, 1939 (did not run) | Republican | 1936 | | Donald McMurchie |
| 16 | Harlan J. Bushfield (1882–1948) | January 3, 1939 – January 5, 1943 (did not run) | Republican | 1938 | | Donald McMurchie |
| 16 | Harlan J. Bushfield (1882–1948) | January 3, 1939 – January 5, 1943 (did not run) | Republican | 1940 | | A. C. Miller |
| 17 | Merrell Q. Sharpe (1888–1962) | January 5, 1943 – January 7, 1947 (lost nomination) | Republican | 1942 | | A. C. Miller |
| 17 | Merrell Q. Sharpe (1888–1962) | January 5, 1943 – January 7, 1947 (lost nomination) | Republican | 1944 | | Sioux K. Grigsby |
| 18 | George T. Mickelson (1903–1965) | January 7, 1947 – January 2, 1951 (did not run) | Republican | 1946 | | Sioux K. Grigsby |
| 18 | George T. Mickelson (1903–1965) | January 7, 1947 – January 2, 1951 (did not run) | Republican | 1948 | | Rex Terry |
| 19 | Sigurd Anderson (1904–1990) | January 2, 1951 – January 4, 1955 (did not run) | Republican | 1950 | | Rex Terry |
| 19 | Sigurd Anderson (1904–1990) | January 2, 1951 – January 4, 1955 (did not run) | Republican | 1952 | | Rex Terry |
| 20 | Joe Foss (1915–2003) | January 4, 1955 – January 6, 1959 (did not run) | Republican | 1954 | | L. Roy Houck |
| 20 | Joe Foss (1915–2003) | January 4, 1955 – January 6, 1959 (did not run) | Republican | 1956 | | L. Roy Houck |
| 21 | Ralph Herseth (1909–1969) | January 6, 1959 – January 3, 1961 (lost election) | Democratic | 1958 | | John F. Lindley |
| 22 | Archie M. Gubbrud (1910–1987) | January 3, 1961 – January 5, 1965 (did not run) | Republican | 1960 | | Joseph H. Bottum |
| 22 | Archie M. Gubbrud (1910–1987) | January 3, 1961 – January 5, 1965 (did not run) | Republican | 1962 | | Nils Boe |
| 23 | Nils Boe (1913–1992) | January 5, 1965 – January 7, 1969 (did not run) | Republican | 1964 | | Lem Overpeck |
| 23 | Nils Boe (1913–1992) | January 5, 1965 – January 7, 1969 (did not run) | Republican | 1966 | | Lem Overpeck |
| 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 |
| 25 | Richard F. Kneip (1933–1987) | January 5, 1971 – July 24, 1978 (resigned) | Democratic | 1972 | | William Dougherty |
| 25 | Richard F. Kneip (1933–1987) | January 5, 1971 – July 24, 1978 (resigned) | Democratic | 1974 | | Harvey Wollman |
| 26 | Harvey Wollman (1935–2022) | July 24, 1978 – January 1, 1979 (lost nomination) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 27 | Bill Janklow (1939–2012) | January 1, 1979 – January 10, 1987 (term-limited) | Republican | 1978 | | Lowell C. Hansen II |
| 27 | Bill Janklow (1939–2012) | January 1, 1979 – January 10, 1987 (term-limited) | Republican | 1982 | | Lowell C. Hansen II |
| 28 | George S. Mickelson (1941–1993) | January 10, 1987 – April 19, 1993 (died in office) | Republican | 1986 | | Walter Dale Miller |
| 28 | George S. Mickelson (1941–1993) | January 10, 1987 – April 19, 1993 (died in office) | Republican | 1990 | | Walter Dale Miller |
| 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 |
| 30 | Bill Janklow (1939–2012) | January 7, 1995 – January 7, 2003 (term-limited) | Republican | 1998 | | Carole Hillard |
| 31 | Mike Rounds (b. 1954) | January 7, 2003 – January 8, 2011 (term-limited) | Republican | 2002 | | Dennis Daugaard |
| 31 | Mike Rounds (b. 1954) | January 7, 2003 – January 8, 2011 (term-limited) | Republican | 2006 | | Dennis Daugaard |
| 32 | Dennis Daugaard (b. 1953) | January 8, 2011 – January 5, 2019 (term-limited) | Republican | 2010 | | Matt Michels |
| 32 | Dennis Daugaard (b. 1953) | January 8, 2011 – January 5, 2019 (term-limited) | Republican | 2014 | | Matt Michels |
| 33 | Kristi Noem (b. 1971) | January 5, 2019 – January 25, 2025 (resigned) | Republican | 2018 | | Larry Rhoden |
| 33 | Kristi Noem (b. 1971) | January 5, 2019 – January 25, 2025 (resigned) | Republican | 2022 | | Larry Rhoden |
| 34 | Larry Rhoden (b. 1959) | January 25, 2025 – Incumbent | Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 34 | Larry Rhoden (b. 1959) | January 25, 2025 – Incumbent | Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | | Tony Venhuizen (appointed January 30, 2025) |