South Dakota: 2006 Elections

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South Dakota

2006 Elections: Governor, US Senator, Other Statewide Offices, US House, State Senate, State House, Ballot initiatives/Referendums

This page was edited by: Daylin Byak, Eugene

State Politics At-A-Glance

Population (2000 Census): 754,844
Electoral Votes: 3

:redbox: 2004 Presidential: Kerry (D) 38%, Bush (R) 60%, Nader (I) 1%
:redbox: 2000 Presidential: Gore (D) 38%, Bush (R) 60%
:redbox: 1996 Presidential: Clinton (D) 43%, Dole (R) 46%, Perot (I) 10%

:redbox: Governor: Michael Rounds (R) Elected: 2002 (Next Election: 2006)
:bluebox: Senior US Senator: Tim Johnson (D) Elected: 1996, 2002 (Next Election: 2008)
:redbox: Junior US Senator: John Thune (R) Elected: 2004, (Next Election: 2010)
:bluebox: US House (1 seats): D-1, R-0
:redbox: State Senate (35 seats): D-10, R-25
:redbox: State House (70 seats): D-19, R-51

Election Information

Primary Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline for Primary Election: May 22, 2006
State/Local Primary Date: June 6, 2006

General Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline for General Election: October 23, 2006
General Election Date (all states): November 07, 2006

State Office in charge of Elections
South Dakota Secretary of State
Capitol Building
500 East Capitol Avenue Ste 204
Pierre SD 57501-5070
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
http://www.sdsos.gov/electionsvoteregistration/electionsvoteregistration_overview.shtm

State Democratic Party
South Dakota Democratic Party
207 East Capitol
Suite 209
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
http://www.sddp.org

State Republican Party
South Dakota Republican Party
PO Box 1099
415 S. Pierre Street
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.southdakotagop.com

Governor's Race 2006

Candidates

Jack Billion (D)
Running Mate: Eric Abrahamson (D)
Former State Representative
Campaign Website: http://www.billionforgovernor.org

Mike Rounds (R) Incumbent
Running Mate: Dennis Daugaard (R)
Governor
Campaign Website: http://www.roundsforgov.com

Steve Willis (C)
Running Mate: Larry Johnsen (C)
South Dakota Constitution Party Vice Chairman
Campaign Website: http://www.willisforgovernor.org

Tom Gerber (L)
Running Mate: Bette Rose Ryan (L)
Retiree
Campaign Website: ?

US Senate Race 2006

No US Senate Race in 2006

Other Statewide Races 2006

Attorney General

Ron Volesky (D)
Attorney
Campaign Website: ?

Larry Long (R) Incumbent
Attorney General
Campaign Website: ?

Randy Ristesund (L)
Campaign Website: ?

State Auditor

Richard Sattgast (R) Incumbent
State Auditor
Campaign Website: http://www.sattgast.com

Public Utilities Commissioner

Steve Kolbeck (D)
Brandon City Council Member
Campaign Website: http://www.kolbeckforpuc.com

John Koskan (R)
State Senator
Campaign Website: ?

Ben Sutter (L)
Campaign Website: ?

Commissioner of School and Public Lands

Bryce Healy (D) Incumbent
Commissioner of School and Public Lands
Campaign Website: http://www.brycehealy.com

Jarrod Johnson (R)
Rancher
Campaign Website: http://www.jarrodjohnson.com

Jade Ager (L)
Campaign Website: ?

Secretary of State

Chris Nelson (R) Incumbent
Secretary of State
Campaign Website: ?

State Treasurer

Vern Larson (R) Incumbent
State Treasurer
Campaign Website: ?

US House of Representatives Races 2006

US House Districts: 1

Key Races: At-Large Stephanie Herseth (D) (incumbent) v. Bruce Whalen (R)

Candidates, by Congressional District

SD-At Large
Stephanie Herseth (D), Incumbent, Campaign Website: http://www.hersethforcongress.org
Bruce Whalen (R), Campaign Website: http://www.brucewhalen.org
Larry Rudebusch (L), Campaign Website: http://www.larryrudebusch.com

State Senate Races 2006

State Senate Districts: 35

Seats at stake in 2006: 35

Key Races: ?

State House Races 2006

State House Districts: 70

Seats at stake in 2006: 70

Key Races: ?

Ballot initiatives/Referendums

2006 South Dakota Ballot Question Attorney General Explanations

:graybox: Constitutional Amendment C - An Amendment to Article XXI of the South Dakota Constitution,
   relating to marriage.
   Amendment C would amend the State Constitution to allow and recognize marriage only between a man
   and a woman. It would also prohibit the Legislature from allowing or recognizing civil unions,
   domestic partnerships or other quasi-marital relationships between two or more persons regardless
   of sex.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Constitutional Amendment D - An Amendment to Article XI, Section 2 of the South Dakota
   Constitution, relating to real property assessment for taxation.
   The proposed amendment to the State Constitution would base the taxable value of property
   upon “acquisition value” for property sold after January 1, 2007. The Legislature may authorize
   the assessed value of such property to be annually adjusted by up to three percent, using the 2003
   assessed property valuation as the base year.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Constitutional Amendment E - An Amendment to Article VI of the South Dakota Constitution,
   relating to judicial decisions.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Constitutional Amendment F - An Amendment to Article III of the South Dakota Constitution,
   relating to the Legislature.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Initiated Measure 2 - An Initiative to increase the tax on cigarettes and tobacco
   products and to dedicate the revenues.
   South Dakota currently taxes tobacco products. The proposed law would increase taxation
   on tobacco products sold in the state. The tax on a 20 stick cigarette package would be
   raised by $1.00; the tax on a 25 stick cigarette package would be raised by $1.25.
   The tax on all other tobacco products such as cigars, roll-your-own, and chewing tobacco,
   would increase from 10 percent to 35 percent of the wholesale price.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Initiated Measure 3 - An Initiative to prohibit starting a school term prior to the
   last day of August.
   State law currently allows local school boards to establish the start of a regular school
   term on any date. The proposed law would prohibit local school boards from establishing
   the start of a regular school term prior to the last day of August.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Initiated Measure 4 - An Initiative to authorize marijuana use for adults and children
   with specified medical conditions.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Initiated Measure 5 - An Initiative to place certain restrictions on the use
   of state owned or leased aircraft.
   State law currently allows state employees to use vehicles owned or leased by the State only
   for state business. There is a limited exception for state employees with a supervisor’s
   approval. The Governor and certain law enforcement personnel are exempt.
  
   The proposed law requires aircraft owned or leased by the State to be used only for state
   business, with no exceptions. A person violating this provision would now be subject
   to civil and criminal penalties
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Initiated Measure 7 - An Initiative to repeal video lottery.
   The State operates video lottery as authorized by State law. During the last year,
   the State received approximately one hundred twelve million dollars ($112,000,000.00)
   from video lottery.
  
   The proposed law would repeal video lottery and eliminate this source of revenue.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Initiated Measure 8 - An Act to repeal the gross receipts tax on wireless telecommunication services.
   State laws impose a four percent tax on the gross receipts of companies providing wireless
   telecommunications (cell phone) services instead of a property tax.
  
   Last year the State received approximately eight and one-half million dollars ($8,500,000.00)
   from the cell phone tax. Forty percent (40%) of these revenues are distributed to counties
   based on population; the balance goes to the State.
  
   The proposed law would repeal this tax, and eliminate this source of revenue.
   Full Text (pdf)

:graybox: Referred Law 6 - Referred Law: An Act to establish certain legislative findings,
   to reinstate the prohibition against certain acts causing the termination of an unborn
   human life, to prescribe a penalty therefor, and to provide for the implementation
   of such provisions under certain circumstances.
   Full Text (pdf)

Links

Blogs
Democratic Underground South Dakota Forum
LeftyBlogs.com South Dakota
Blue Note - The South Dakota Democratic Party
Clean Cut Kid
Dakota Today
Don't Worry About the Government
Mount Blogmore: A Rapid City Journal Politics Blog
Northern Valley Beacon
Proud Liberal
Robbinsdale Radical
S.D. Watch

Demographic Links
U.S. Census Bureau South Dakota Quick Facts

Useful Links

Campaign Underground 2006
Campaign Underground Tips and Tricks

2006 South Dakota Election: Referenda and Candidates
South Dakota War College (Conservative Republican blog, but a source of useful info.)
South Dakota Straight Talk