Politics

List of South Dakota governors from first to last

South Dakota joined the Union on November 2, 1889. It was admitted as the 40th state, alongside North Dakota. The Dakota Territory was divided into the two states of North and South Dakota for admission into the Union.

Arthur Calvin Mellette became the first governor of the state of South Dakota on November 2, 1889. He was also the last governor of the Dakota Territory.

Here is a chronological list of the governors of South Dakota from first to last.

No.GovernorTerm in OfficeParty
1Arthur C. MelletteNovember 2, 1889 – January 3, 1893Republican
2Charles H. SheldonJanuary 3, 1893 – January 5, 1897Republican
3Andrew E. LeeJanuary 5, 1897 – January 8, 1901Populist
4Charles N. HerreidJanuary 8, 1901 – January 3, 1905Republican
5Samuel H. ElrodJanuary 3, 1905 – January 8, 1907Republican
6Coe I. CrawfordJanuary 8, 1907 – January 5, 1909Republican
7Robert S. VesseyJanuary 5, 1909 – January 7, 1913Republican
8Frank M. ByrneJanuary 7, 1913 – January 2, 1917Republican
9Peter NorbeckJanuary 2, 1917 – January 4, 1921Republican
10William H. McMasterJanuary 4, 1921 – January 6, 1925Republican
11Carl GundersonJanuary 6, 1925 – January 3, 1927Republican
12William J. BulowJanuary 3, 1927 – January 6, 1931Democratic
13Warren GreenJanuary 6, 1931 – January 3, 1933Republican
14Tom BerryJanuary 3, 1933 – January 5, 1937Democratic
15Leslie JensenJanuary 5, 1937 – January 3, 1939Republican
16Harlan J. BushfieldJanuary 3, 1939 – January 5, 1943Republican
17Merrell Q. SharpeJanuary 5, 1943 – January 7, 1947Republican
18George T. MickelsonJanuary 7, 1947 – January 2, 1951Republican
19Sigurd AndersonJanuary 2, 1951 – January 4, 1955Republican
20Joe FossJanuary 4, 1955 – January 6, 1959Republican
21Ralph HersethJanuary 6, 1959 – January 3, 1961Democratic
22Archie M. GubbrudJanuary 3, 1961 – January 5, 1965Republican
23Nils BoeJanuary 5, 1965 – January 7, 1969Republican
24Frank FarrarJanuary 7, 1969 – January 5, 1971Republican
25Richard F. KneipJanuary 5, 1971 – July 24, 1978Democratic
26Harvey WollmanJuly 24, 1978 – January 1, 1979Democratic
27Bill JanklowJanuary 1, 1979 – January 10, 1987Republican
28George S. MickelsonJanuary 10, 1987 – April 19, 1993Republican
29Walter Dale MillerApril 19, 1993 – January 7, 1995Republican
30Bill JanklowJanuary 7, 1995 – January 7, 2003Republican
31Mike RoundsJanuary 7, 2003 – January 8, 2011Republican
32Dennis DaugaardJanuary 8, 2011 – January 5, 2019Republican
33Kristi NoemJanuary 5, 2019 – IncumbentRepublican

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