A crowded Republican gubernatorial primary election split South Dakota voters four ways on June 2 resulting in a runoff between current Gov. Larry Rhoden and businessman Toby Doeden.
The Republican primary election was June 2. In that election, Gov. Larry Rhoden received 24 percent of the vote (34,321), Jon Hansen received 21 percent (28,341), Dusty Johnson received 23 percent (31,856) and Toby Doeden received 31 percent (41,712).
Because no candidate received the 35 percent threshold for the four-person race, the state mandates a runoff election to determine the Republican candidate for the governor of South Dakota in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 general election.
On July 28, Republican candidates for governor who received the majority of votes in the June 2 primary – Gov. Larry Rhoden and Toby Doeden – will compete in the runoff election to determine the Republican candidate for governor in the November general election.
Gov. Larry Rhoden is a West River rancher currently serving as the state’s 34th governor. Rhoden made his first appearance in the governor’s office as lieutenant governor with Gov. Kristi Noem in 2018 and was appointed governor on Jan. 25, 2025 when Noem resigned and became the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. Rhoden was elected to the state legislature in 2000 and has served as House Majority Leader and chaired both Senate and House committees.
Toby Doeden is a South Dakota businessman. He is a self-described fierce Trump supporter and is not a career politician. Eliminating all property taxes in South Dakota have been a key topic in Doeden’s campaign. According to South Dakota News Watch, Doeden owns the Aberdeen Chrysler dealership in Aberdeen and Redfield Ford in Redfield and has a portfolio acquired through real estate investment and development companies.
On July 28, runoff election day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to the South Dakota Secretary of State website, an absentee ballot may be requested by a voter confined due to sickness or disability through an authorized messenger until 3 p.m. local time on Election Day. All absentee ballots requested in this manner must be returned to the County Auditor in time for them to be delivered to the correct polling location by the time the polls close.
Polling places for the runoff election can be found on the secretary of state’s website – https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/upcoming-elections/general-information/default.aspx
Here is a pdf of the South Dakota polling locations:
NOTE: Polling Location Temporarily Moved for Rapid Valley Elementary Voters for July 28 Runoff Election
The Pennington County Auditor’s Office is notifying voters assigned to the Rapid Valley Elementary polling location that their polling place has been temporarily relocated for the July 28 runoff election.
Due to construction at Rapid Valley Elementary, voters who are registered to vote at this location will instead cast their ballots at West River Electric for the July 28 runoff election only.
Polls will be open during their regular hours, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
This temporary change applies only to voters whose designated polling place is Rapid Valley Elementary. All other polling locations will remain unchanged.
The winner of the July 28 runoff election will face Democrat Dan Ahlers in the Nov. 3 general election.
