South Dakota governor's race: 2026 result
South Dakota · election of 3 November 2026Incumbent: Larry Rhoden (R)Updated
Called · unofficial countRhoden (R) 63.5%, Ahlers (D) 36.5%.
Larry Rhoden (Republican) won the South Dakota governor's race in the 3 November 2026 election, with 63.5% of the vote to Dan Ahlers's 36.5%, a margin of 27.0 points (82,176 votes). The seat stays Republican. Count as of November 9 at 3:24 PM EST, not yet certified.
What stands out in South Dakota governor's race
from the count and past results- Rhoden finished 27.0 points ahead of Ahlers, a gap of 82,176 votes.
- Republican hold: the incumbent, Larry Rhoden, was re-elected.
South Dakota governor's race: candidates and votes
Called · unofficial countGeneral election, 3 November 2026 · as of November 9 at 3:24 PM EST
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry Rhoden · incumbent | Republican | 193,333 | 63.5 |
| Dan Ahlers | Democratic | 111,157 | 36.5 |
| Total | 304,490 | 100.0 |
Related races
- South Dakota Senate race · Mike Rounds (R)
- South Dakota: House districts in 2026
- Closest governor's races: NV governor (0.1), KS governor (0.7), FL governor (1.3), TN governor (2.6), AL governor (4.0)
- Governors results 2026: every race
Sources
- Votes and candidates: Wikipedia, 2026 South Dakota gubernatorial election (revision 1384723778, November 9 at 3:24 PM EST), which cites the state election office and AP race calls.
- Race call and incumbent: Wikipedia, 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (revision 1385098388). A race is shown as called only when that article marks a winner.
- Text and figures from Wikipedia are available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Results are unofficial until the state certifies them; this page updates with the source.