Many South Dakota Legislative Seats To Go Unopposed In November…Again

We are only 1 day away from the Primary in South Dakota, the Presidential Candidates have all but been chosen, with a rematch that nobody wanted in Biden Vs Trump. The Libertarian Party recently nominated Chase Oliver as their Presidential Candidate. After the dust settles on the Prairie from the Primary tomorrow we will get a better idea of the local candidate landscape here.

However regardless of how tomorrow’s Primary turns out there will still be 18 State Senate seats and 14 House of Representatives seats that will possibly/likely go unopposed on the ballot in November. (full list of Districts below)

Senate Races currently unopposed: Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 29, 31, 32, 33, 35

House of Representatives currently unopposed: Districts 2, 4, 8, 13, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 31, 33, 34

As of now the only way to put challengers in any of these unopposed Legislative races would be for new candidates to run as either Libertarian Party or the newly created and recognized No Labels Party. These “alternative Parties” as the State calls them, have the ability to nominate State candidates at their State Conventions. The Libertarian Party of South Dakota will be having their State Convention on June 29th in Pierre. Details can be found on their website here. There has been no word on when, where or IF the No Labels Party will be having their State Convention or if they will put any candidates on the ballot. As of this writing they have not filed the required Statement of Organization with the Secretary of States office. Nationally the No Labels Party said they would not be running a Presidential candidate this year.

We here at the Hedgehog Watchdog like to see a robust and diverse ballot on election day, so will the Libertarians nominate candidates to challenge some of these seats? Will the No Labels have a convention? Whatever happened to the Constitution Party?? Will the voters even really have a choice in November? Maybe the folks behind Open Primaries should worry more about actually fielding candidates..