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Voting history · South Dakota

South Dakota

A dated list of changes to how Americans vote: district maps, polling places and drop boxes, voting laws and rules, and courts and election officials. Each entry says who did what and when, shows what became of it, and links to the page it rests on. Attempts that failed are listed as failed. Entries that rest on a news report name the outlet.

This is the state view: events recorded for South Dakota, then national events that apply here. See the national timeline.

Kind of event
Decade

In South Dakota

2021

  1. Nov 10, 2021 State Maps and lines Enacted

    Legislature adopts and Governor signs a new legislative map in special session

    The legislature's record for House Bill 1001 of the 2021 First Special Session, titled "provide for the decennial redistricting of the Legislature," shows a conference committee report adopted by the Senate on November 9, 2021 (30 yeas, 2 nays) and by the House on November 10, 2021 (37 yeas, 31 nays), and signature by the Governor on November 10, 2021.

    Source last checked Oct 22, 2026

2020

  1. Jun 19, 2020 County Maps and lines Settled

    Court enters consent decree on Chamberlain School District board elections

    In United States v. Chamberlain School District (D.S.D.), the Justice Department filed a complaint on May 27, 2020, challenging the at-large method of election for the school board under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The Department filed a joint motion to enter a consent decree on May 28, and the court entered the consent decree on June 19, 2020.

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

  2. Feb 21, 2020 State Maps and lines Failed

    Senate committee defers a bill to protect Native American populations in redistricting

    Senate Bill 159 (2020), "provide that Native American populations be protected in the legislative redistricting process," was deferred to the 41st legislative day in Senate State Affairs on February 21, 2020, by a vote of 6 to 3.

    Source last checked Oct 22, 2026

2016

  1. 2016 State Maps and lines Failed

    Voters reject Amendment T, which would have created a legislative redistricting commission

    In 2016, South Dakota voters decided Constitutional Amendment T, an initiated amendment to provide for state legislative redistricting by a commission. The Secretary of State's record lists the result as failed, 149,942 to 198,982.

    Source last checked Oct 22, 2026

2008

  1. Feb 11, 2008 County Maps and lines Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to Charles Mix County's five-district commission plan

    In a letter of February 11, 2008, the Justice Department addressed the county's proposal to increase its commission from three to five members and its 2007 redistricting plan. The letter states that "I cannot conclude that the County has sustained its burden of showing that the proposed change does not have a discriminatory purpose" and objects on behalf of the Attorney General, noting that Native American voters could elect their candidate of choice in one of five districts rather than one of three. The letter cites Blackmoon v. Charles Mix County, filed in January 2005.

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

1978

  1. Oct 26, 1978 County Maps and lines Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to commissioner precincts in Tripp and Todd Counties

    In a letter listed as dated October 26, 1978, the Justice Department addressed the redistricting of county commissioner precincts in Tripp and Todd Counties. The letter states that the one predominantly Indian district was "substantially underrepresented" while the two predominantly white districts were "significantly overrepresented," and that on behalf of the Attorney General the writer must interpose an objection.

    Counties: Todd County, Tripp County

    Related: Justice Department objects under Section 5 to South Dakota's Unorganized Counties Act for Todd and Shannon Counties

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

Nationwide

2026

  1. Sep 10, 2026 National Maps and lines Proposed

    Census Bureau proposes residence criteria for the 2030 census that would exclude some noncitizens from the apportionment count

    On September 10, 2026 the Census Bureau, an agency of the Department of Commerce, published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (91 FR 57524, Docket No. 260903-0005, RIN 0607-AA75) that would add two new parts to the Code of Federal Regulations: residence criteria for the decennial census, and standards and restrictions for demographic questions on the census questionnaire. On residence, the notice states that "the Census Bureau proposes to include lawful permanent residents within the apportionment base, while excluding from the apportionment base illegal aliens and aliens whose legal status is less durable and indefinite in length than lawful permanent resident status," and says it is considering using administrative records to determine legal status. The comment period, first set to end October 13, 2026, was extended to November 2, 2026 by a notice published October 5, 2026. Al Jazeera and CNBC reported on the proposal, and CNBC reported that opponents expect litigation.

    Source last checked Oct 22, 2026

2021

  1. Aug 12, 2021 National Maps and lines Settled

    Census Bureau releases 2020 redistricting data for states

    On August 12, 2021, the Census Bureau released the 2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File, which it described as delivering data for states to begin redistricting. On September 16, 2021, it released the same data in an easier-to-use format on data.census.gov and delivered a toolkit to states.

    Source last checked Oct 22, 2026

  2. Apr 26, 2021 National Maps and lines Settled

    Census Bureau announces 2020 Census apportionment results

    On April 26, 2021, the Census Bureau announced that the 2020 Census resident population of the United States on April 1, 2020 was 331,449,281, and that Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo delivered the population counts used for apportionment of the U.S. House to the President.

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

1967

  1. Dec 14, 1967 National Maps and lines Enacted

    Congress requires single-member congressional districts (Public Law 90-196)

    Public Law 90-196, approved December 14, 1967, provides that in each state entitled to more than one Representative "there shall be established by law a number of districts equal to the number of Representatives to which such State is so entitled," with "no district to elect more than one Representative."

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

How this timeline is built

Every entry rests on at least one source that was opened and read, and that source states the date and the fact. Courts, legislatures, election offices, the Justice Department, the Census Bureau, the Federal Register and Congress.gov come first. A news report is used only when no official page states the fact, and it is labeled with the outlet's name. Encyclopedias are not used as sources. History starts in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act. County names come from the Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer. Congressional district numbers are those in use for the 2026 election; an event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district.

When a later event changes an earlier one, such as a law later struck down, both entries are listed and point to each other. This page does not predict outcomes or say which party a change helps. U.S. House maps for 2026 · Back to the 2026 voting center.