South Dakota

Poll shows early support for open primaries in South Dakota

Published

2 years ago

January 11, 2024

Poll shows early support for open primaries in South Dakota

LEFT: Tom Dempster, a former state senator and Minnehaha County commissioner, speaks at a news conference to announce the signature drive to put a constitutional amendment that would allow for open primaries on the 2024 general election ballot in Sioux Falls on April 19, 2022. RIGHT: “I Voted” stickers are separated for voters at the downtown Siouxland Public Library branch in Sioux Falls in 2022. A proposed amendment that would open primaries in South Dakota could end up on the 2024 election ballot. (Sioux Falls Argus Leader photos)

By: Stu Whitney, South Dakota News Watch

Updated: 20 minutes ago / Posted Jan 11, 2024

Nearly half of registered voters support changing the way primary elections are conducted in South Dakota, but many others remain undecided, according to a statewide poll co-sponsored by South Dakota News Watch.

The survey of 500 registered voters showed that 49.4% of respondents support a proposed constitutional amendment to establish “top-two” open primaries for governor, Congress and state legislative and county races. The poll showed that 34% oppose the measure.

That leaves 16.6% undecided, which open primary advocates see as an opportunity to sell their vision to voters in the 10 months leading up to the November 2024 election, assuming the measure makes the ballot.

“We’re encouraged by these results,” said veteran political operative Drey Samuelson, who serves on the board of directors for South Dakota Open Primaries. “It’s worth noting that undecideds generally split evenly between voting in favor of a measure and against it, which would put us roughly at 58%. We’d be very happy with that result, obviously.”

If successful, the amendment would establish one primary election for each designated office, with all candidates running against each other regardless of party affiliation. The top two vote-getters would advance to the general election.

The Attorney General’s Statement on the amendment notes that a candidate “may list any party next to their name regardless of party affiliation or registration,” meaning a registered Democrat could conceivably be listed on the ballot as a Republican, or vice versa.

Republican state Rep. Aaron Alyward of Harrisburg, S.D., chairman of the conservative South Dakota Freedom Caucus, expressed surprise that so many poll respondents supported open primaries and questioned the reasoning behind the petition effort.

“If this were to go through, we’d essentially have two general elections in South Dakota, which would be completely unnecessary,” Alyward said in a statement to News Watch. “If the backers of this amendment are worried about having options at the ballot box, why isn’t the focus placed on getting people from all parties ready for the general election, rather than trying to create two general elections in a sense?”

Independents shut out of GOP primaries

Supporters point to the fact that all registered voters would be eligible to participate in open primaries. Currently, Independent voters in South Dakota can vote in Democratic primaries but not Republican contests.

That’s a major factor in a state where the breakdown of registered voters (299,984 Republicans, 145,700 Democrats, 147,968 independents/no party affiliation) makes independents a formidable voting bloc of 25%. Most races are decided in GOP primaries in a conservative state where no Democratic presidential nominee has prevailed since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Republicans outnumber Democrats 94-11 in the state Legislature, and GOP candidates ran unopposed in 21 of the 35 state Senate races in 2022. The last time a Democratic candidate won a statewide election was 2008.

“I know a fair amount of people who are not Republicans by their general philosophy, but they are Republicans in registration because they know that’s where the action is in the primaries,” said Samuelson, who served as chief of staff to former Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson. “In our system, people won’t have to be something that they’re not to have a vote that’s meaningful.”

Seeking more balance in politics

The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy from Nov. 27-29. Respondents were selected randomly from a state voter registration list and were representative of all South Dakota counties, ages, gender and political parties. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.5%. News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota sponsored the poll.

The open primaries measure has majority support among Democrats (55.7%) and independents (55.4%) and plurality support among Republicans, with 43.1% of GOP respondents supporting the change, 40.3% opposing it and 16.5% undecided.

The poll showed the measure with a healthy lead in four geographic regions of the state (Sioux Falls Metro, East River/South, East River/North and West River). West River, often viewed as more conservative than other areas of the state, had the highest support (52.9%) for changing the way primaries are run.

Nicole Heenan, who is helping South Dakota Open Primaries with its petition effort in Rapid City, S.D., switched party affiliation from Independent to Democrat to challenge Republican state Sen. Helene Duhamel in District 32 in 2022. Duhamel won the general election with 56.2% of the vote.

Heenan told News Watch that putting all candidates into a single primary would provide more balance in a state where 90% of legislators are Republican, compared to 50% of voters registered as Republicans.

“That asymmetry is a sign of dysfunction and inefficiency,” said Heenan, a mental health therapist who ran for Pennington County Commission as an Independent in 2018. “Democracies are supposed to be flexible and dynamic and quick to the needs of the people, and that’s not the system we have right now.”

Out-of-state group gets involved

Though nearly half of states have some form of open primary system, only three currently use a top-two primary such as the one proposed for South Dakota.

California and Washington use top-two primaries, with party labels included, in races other than presidential contests, while Nebraska uses a nonpartisan primary for state legislative races as part of its unicameral system.

Typically, the GOP majority in state politics would be enough to mount a formidable “establishment” response against a ballot measure buoyed by out-of-state interests that threatens the electoral status quo.

Unite America, a nonprofit based in Denver that advocates for election reform, has contributed about $300,000 to the open primary effort in South Dakota, while about $400,000 has been raised through in-state donations.

A similar measure in 2016 aimed to circumvent party primaries with nonpartisan races, in which South Dakota voters would consider candidates on an open ballot with no party designations. That effort failed at the ballot but received 44.5% of the vote.

‘The stars seem aligned for us’

Supporters of the ballot measure said circumstances have shifted in their favor since then due to a schism in state Republican ranks between moderates and an emergent far-right caucus.

The theory is that open primaries, rather than incentivizing candidates from taking extreme positions to win a partisan primary, will help “lower the volume” to produce officeholders more reflective of the general electorate.

“The stars seem aligned for us because the Republican Party has experienced turmoil,” Joe Kirby, a Sioux Falls businessman and government reform advocate who is spearheading the open primary campaign, told News Watch in 2023. “There’s less resistance from Republicans to the idea of changing something to broaden the base of voters.”

In Democratic-controlled California, where voters approved a top-two primary in 2012, presenting candidates to all voters in primaries has led to more moderates getting elected, forcing far-left legislators to work toward the middle to pass laws.

A 2017 study by the Public Policy Institute of California concluded that open primaries, combined with other shifts such as redistricting reform, can help “draw American parties back toward the center of the ideological spectrum.”

For the minority party – Republicans in California and Democrats in South Dakota – the concern is that candidates will get shut out of the general election in the top-two system, making even more dire the party’s lack of representation.

Moving politics toward the middle

Dan Ahlers, executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, told News Watch that the SDDP has not yet taken a formal stance on potential 2024 ballot measures. But he noted different approaches to primary elections by the state’s political parties.

“South Dakota’s Democratic primaries have been open to registered Independent voters since 2010,” said Ahlers. “The Republican Party could do this too but has chosen not to open their primaries.”

John Wiik, chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party, did not respond to a request for comment.

South Dakota Open Primaries needs to collect a minimum of 35,017 signatures to place the constitutional amendment on the 2024 ballot. The deadline to submit signatures is May 7, 2024. Samuelson estimated that the group has collected 35,000 signatures so far, with a goal of 50,000.

Samuelson noted a recent Pew Research Center poll showing that four times as many Americans have unfavorable views of both parties than they did in 2002. He sees that as a sign that people want more candidates who appeal to middle-of-the-road voters rather than to the fringes of either party.

“A lot of moderate Republicans, frankly, don’t run in South Dakota because they don’t think that they can win the primary,” Samuelson said. “So we have these elections that are not contested, and that’s not a good thing, no matter what party you’re in.”

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South Dakota

Housing jumpstarts revitalization of Herreid, SD, population 400

Published

11 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Housing jumpstarts revitalization of Herreid, SD, population 400

Dick Werner drives his pickup through the streets of this northern South Dakota town and can hardly go a block before stopping to point out new houses or apartments that have popped up in the past few years.

To be sure, the journey doesn’t last long because the agricultural outpost of Herreid – located 7 miles south of the North Dakota border – only has about 400 residents and just a few streets that splinter off U.S. Highway 83, the main drag through town.

And yet, Werner’s excitement is palpable as he shares the stories of how he and other local leaders have spurred a rebirth of the ranching and outdoor recreation town’s population and economy by adding new housing, new municipal amenities and new businesses.

Werner, 68, is a retired banking executive who served in the state Legislature and on the Beadle County Commission before taking on a volunteer role as president of Herreid Area Housing Development (HAHD.)

He grew up in Herried but spent adulthood elsewhere, returning to his hometown in 2016 to find the local grocery store shuttered and the school population at 109, just above the threshold where state law requires dissolution of the school and assimilation into a larger nearby district.

“If you lose your school and your grocery store, your town is in trouble,” Werner said.

Herreid’s population peaked in 1960 at 767 people and has been on the decline since, falling to 416 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census. School enrollment followed suit as the population grew older and fewer families with children made Herreid their home.

Dick Werner of the Herreid, S.D., housing development group, stood on Feb. 3, 2026, in front of an early spec home developed by the organization. Credit: AP/Bart Pfankuch

Since returning, Werner has played a key role in finding the money and providing the expertise to begin rebuilding the housing stock in Herreid, a critical first step in attracting families and workers who form the backbone of the future for any small town in South Dakota.

“We were really hurting for homes because without places to live, there’s no way people can move here to work or raise a family,” he said.

Response: Grants and local donors drive growth

As with many small, remote South Dakota communities, Herreid is not a target for privately funded housing projects, largely because profit margins for developers are too narrow and it is difficult for them to get materials and skilled workers.

Instead, Herreid has turned to a unique funding model to find money for new homes and apartments.

Downtown Herreid, S.D., shown on Feb. 3, 2026, has become... — Downtown Herreid, S.D., shown on Feb. 3, 2026, has become a thriving business district in recent years. Credit: AP/Bart Pfankuch

Over the past decade, Werner has obtained $2.2 million in grants to help pay for land, materials and construction for development of new housing, for rehabilitation of existing homes and businesses, and for municipal projects including a pool, playground and sports complex.

The list of funders is varied and includes among others the South Dakota Housing Authority, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, the Land, Water and Conservation Fund, Grow South Dakota, the South Dakota Community Foundation, Wellmark Foundation, WEB Water, CoBank, MDU Resources, Campbell County Bank, Federal Home Loan Banks, and Homes Are Possible Inc. in Aberdeen.

Meanwhile, the HAHD created another pool of about $180,000 in available funds by soliciting loans from 30 local residents who were committed to supporting future growth. The group also raised more than $250,000 from fundraising events, including $200,000 from a Queen of Diamonds raffle program held in a local tavern.

“You just have to know where to get the money,” Werner said. “You’ve got to have connections and partnerships, but it’s important to know that there are resources across the state to help your community.”

Evidence: New homes, apartments in Herreid

Successful projects have followed the funding.

HAHD has developed five speculative homes that were sold before completion and brought 25 new residents to town. It has helped new residents pay for single-family and twin homes through the state Governor’s House program, in which houses are built by prison inmates.

HAHD has acquired 16 apartment units that are fully occupied. Its next proposed project is construction of a new three-unit apartment building for which Werner just landed $700,000 in grants. The organization has also helped pay for improvements to 18 existing homes.

The HAHD is now trying to sell and support development of single-family homes on eight lots just north of downtown that are already served by sewer and water lines. The group is selling the full-size lots for only $7,000 and can provide assistance to buyers to keep their construction and mortgage costs low, Werner said.

“We want to get people into homes, to own them and have pride of ownership,” Werner said.

Insights: Economic growth follows housing

If housing is the platform that enables growth in a community, economic development is the resulting engine that can propel forward prosperity for individuals and families.

Through a team effort among town leaders, engaged local residents, the HAHD and the Herreid Economic Development Corp., the town has seen positive growth on several fronts in recent years.

Melinda Neeley, president of the development corporation, said expansion of housing in Herreid has set the stage for arrival of new businesses and residents that have stabilized the local economy.

Even with only 400 people, Herreid now boasts a thriving grocery store, medical clinic, pharmacy, bank, day care, livestock yard, diesel repair shop, and hardware and feed store.

Tax money, grants and local donations were used to help pay for a $200,000 sports complex, a $145,000 upgrade of a downtown playground, and a $1.1 million municipal pool upgrade as well a $20,000 addition of local pickleball courts.

The local K-12 public school just completed a $4 million addition and renovation project.

“I feel like we’re on an upward trajectory,” Neeley told News Watch. “It takes the help of people from all of these different groups to not just maintain what we have but to grow the services we have here.”

Moreover, the slow but steady rebuilding of the local economy has attracted or strengthened employers that are providing good jobs — including the Pig Improvement Co., Agtegra Cooperative, and a host of area ranchers and farmers as well as agricultural supply and trucking companies, Neeley said.

The volunteer economic development group owns several land lots in town that it has made available for development at low cost, Neeley said. The group also owns a few buildings downtown that it is able to rent at reasonable rates, lowering the entry and ongoing costs of businesses that want to make a go of it.

Additionally, the group has taken steps to create succession plans for business owners who plan to retire or leave town, Neeley said. The organization tries to provide affordable rent and other assistance to increase viability of new businesses or for businesses with new ownership.

“If they had to purchase the building, the cost would be much greater,” she said. “The loss of a single business could make a huge impact on our sales tax collection and the housing progress we’ve made.”

Limitations: Positive signs but work to do

Kayla and Preston Huber moved to Herreid seven years ago, and even though Kayla is a nurse, she jumped headlong into entrepreneurship by opening a grocery store called Fresh Start Market.

When she arrived, Herreid did not have a grocery store, and food options were limited within a drivable distance.

She and her husband downsized into a double-wide trailer house that they renovated because housing options were almost non-existent when they arrived.

“We got lucky when we moved back because there weren’t many options (for housing),” she said.

Huber said she has had great success and attributes some of that to efforts to generate new housing in town. “As a business owner, it’s definitely great to see,” she said.

And yet, she sees more opportunity for community growth if more housing can be developed.

“More people want to get out of cities and big-city life, and this is a great place to raise a family,” she said. “We’ve had some younger couples move back, and I know a few more that would move back if there were more places to live.”

Werner predicts that Herreid’s population will show a jump in the 2030 census, which would be the first increase in 70 years. Werner has also done calculations that he said show enrollment in the Herreid school will rise to about 150 in the next four years.

Some of the population growth has come from about 40 Hispanic residents who are in South Dakota on three-year federal work visas, some of whom have purchased homes in Herreid. The town has also attracted several Hutterite families who have moved to town in recent years, Werner said.

“If you’re in small, rural communities in South Dakota, and you’re not willing to accept diversity, you’re not going to grow because the Norwegians, Swedes, Germans and Polish are done coming here,” he said.

Werner said there’s no “special sauce” to generating growth in rural areas but that it does require an individual or a group to step up and get things started. But he cautions that it takes perseverance to keep the momentum and an ability to ignore the doubters.

“Housing development is a marathon, not a sprint, and you’ve got to have people who are committed,” he said. “There’s been all these naysayers out there on all these projects, but once they see the results, the naysayers all go away.”

During the drive around Herreid in February, Werner said that all the time and effort he has put into promoting housing and economic growth in his hometown have been well worth it.

“Probably the toughest thing you can do is to develop a property,” he said. “I’ve run banks, groups of banks and managed dozens of employees, and this is the toughest thing I’ve ever done. But it’s also the most rewarding.”

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 22, 2026

Published

23 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 22, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 22 drawing

07-08-17-18-55, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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