How to run in South Dakota, 2028
What it takes to get on South Dakota's 2028 ballot for the U.S. House, U.S. Senate or President, from the state's election office and laws.
U.S. House
Who can run
- At least 25 years old
- A U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
- Living in the state when elected (the Constitution doesn't require living in the district)
Getting on the South Dakota ballot
| Where to file | South Dakota Secretary of State, Division of Elections, State Capitol, 500 E. Capitol Avenue, Suite 204, Pierre, SD 57501 (SDCL 12-6-4). |
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| When | Party nominating petitions: filed after December 31, 2027 and before 5:00 p.m. local time on the third Tuesday of March before the primary (SDCL 12-6-4, as amended by SL 2026, ch 35), which is Tuesday, March 21, 2028, for the primary held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June (SDCL 12-2-1), June 6, 2028. Petitions may not be circulated or signed before January 1, 2028 (SDCL 12-6-8, 12-7-1.1). (expected: follows state law; the 2028 calendar isn't published yet) |
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| How | Complete and sign the declaration of candidacy at the top of the nominating petition form before circulating it; the original signed declaration must accompany the petition when filed (SDCL 12-6-8). Circulators must verify each sheet under oath before a South Dakota notary public, and the candidate may not act as notary. File with the Secretary of State in person or by registered mail; a petition mailed by registered mail before the 5:00 p.m. deadline is treated as timely, certified mail is not (Secretary of State 2026 petition guide). A party candidate must be registered with that party (SDCL 12-6-3.2), and signers of a party petition must be registered members of that party. |
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| Fee | No filing fee is listed in the Secretary of State's candidate materials or the nominating-petition statutes reviewed. |
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| Petition instead | Party candidates: signatures of at least 1% of the votes cast for that party's candidate for governor in the last gubernatorial election (SDCL 12-6-7); for a party with alternative political status, 1% of the votes for that party's highest-vote statewide candidate at the last gubernatorial election. For 2028 the base is the November 2026 gubernatorial vote, so the exact counts will be set after certification (for comparison, 2026 required 2,171 Republican, 1,232 Democratic, 741 Libertarian). Independent candidates: a certificate of nomination signed by registered voters numbering at least 1% of the total combined vote for governor at the last certified gubernatorial election (SDCL 12-7-1; 3,502 in 2026), filed with the Secretary of State after December 31 and by 5:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of April, which is April 25, 2028. Independent petitions may be signed by any registered voter. |
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Official filing information · U.S. Constitution
U.S. Senate
Who can run
- At least 30 years old
- A U.S. citizen for at least 9 years
- Living in the state when elected
Getting on the South Dakota ballot
| Where to file | South Dakota Secretary of State, Division of Elections, State Capitol, 500 E. Capitol Avenue, Suite 204, Pierre, SD 57501 (SDCL 12-6-4). |
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| When | Party nominating petitions: filed after December 31, 2027 and before 5:00 p.m. local time on the third Tuesday of March before the primary (SDCL 12-6-4, as amended by SL 2026, ch 35), which is Tuesday, March 21, 2028, for the primary held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June (SDCL 12-2-1), June 6, 2028. Petitions may not be circulated or signed before January 1, 2028 (SDCL 12-6-8, 12-7-1.1). (expected: follows state law; the 2028 calendar isn't published yet) |
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| How | Complete and sign the declaration of candidacy at the top of the nominating petition form before circulating it; the original signed declaration must accompany the petition when filed (SDCL 12-6-8). Circulators must verify each sheet under oath before a South Dakota notary public, and the candidate may not act as notary. File with the Secretary of State in person or by registered mail; a petition mailed by registered mail before the 5:00 p.m. deadline is treated as timely, certified mail is not (Secretary of State 2026 petition guide). A party candidate must be registered with that party (SDCL 12-6-3.2), and signers of a party petition must be registered members of that party. |
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| Fee | No filing fee is listed in the Secretary of State's candidate materials or the nominating-petition statutes reviewed. |
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| Petition instead | Party candidates: signatures of at least 1% of the votes cast for that party's candidate for governor in the last gubernatorial election (SDCL 12-6-7); for a party with alternative political status, 1% of the votes for that party's highest-vote statewide candidate at the last gubernatorial election. For 2028 the base is the November 2026 gubernatorial vote, so the exact counts will be set after certification (for comparison, 2026 required 2,171 Republican, 1,232 Democratic, 741 Libertarian). Independent candidates: a certificate of nomination signed by registered voters numbering at least 1% of the total combined vote for governor at the last certified gubernatorial election (SDCL 12-7-1; 3,502 in 2026), filed with the Secretary of State after December 31 and by 5:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of April, which is April 25, 2028. Independent petitions may be signed by any registered voter. |
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Official filing information · U.S. Constitution · South Dakota's 2028 Senate race
President
Who can run: At least 35 years old; A natural-born U.S. citizen; A U.S. resident for at least 14 years (U.S. Constitution).
Getting on South Dakota's presidential primary ballot
| How | Party-run listing with a candidate notice. A candidate, committee, or group supporting a presidential candidate must notify the Secretary of State of its intention to have the candidate's name placed on the presidential primary ballot (or to submit a delegate slate) by the last Tuesday in March (SDCL 12-5-3.14). If a political party chooses to hold a primary for its national convention delegates, the party's state chairperson certifies the candidate names or delegate/alternate slates to the Secretary of State by 5:00 p.m. central time on the last Tuesday in March; only certified candidates or slates are placed on the ballot, with position chosen by lot (SDCL 12-5-3.8, 12-5-3.9; a candidate wrongly refused certification may seek a writ of mandamus). Where party bylaws do not prescribe a delegate-selection method, delegate slates are elected in the primary on a single nominating petition stating the slate's presidential preference; the first compliant petition filed for a given presidential candidate gets that candidate's ballot line, and the presidential candidate can block a slate by filing a verified notice of disapproval within the petition filing period (SDCL 12-5-3.11, 12-5-3.12). If a party does not choose a primary, it selects delegates under its bylaws (SDCL 12-5-3.8). |
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| Where | South Dakota Secretary of State, Pierre (SDCL 12-5-3.8, 12-5-3.14). |
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| When | Notice of intent and party certification: by the last Tuesday in March, March 28, 2028 (5:00 p.m. central for the party certification; a certification mailed by registered mail by then counts as submitted). Delegate-slate nominating petitions: after December 31, 2027 and before 5:00 p.m. central on the third Tuesday of March, March 21, 2028 (SDCL 12-5-3.11). The primary is held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June (SDCL 12-2-1), June 6, 2028. (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | No filing fee is set in the presidential primary statutes reviewed (SDCL 12-5-3.8 to 12-5-3.16). |
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| Petition | No petition for the presidential candidate personally. A delegate-slate nominating petition, where used, falls under the general rule for state or federal party petitions: at least 1% of the voters who voted for that party's gubernatorial candidate at the last gubernatorial election (SDCL 12-6-7; that is the November 2026 election for 2028). |
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Sources: sdlegislature.gov
Running as an independent in November
| How | File a certificate of nomination (nominating petition) with the Secretary of State, executed as provided in SDCL chapter 12-6, along with a declaration of candidacy and a certification of the candidate's selection for Vice President. The presidential candidate and the vice-presidential selection must both sign that certification before the petitions are submitted (SDCL 12-7-7). Petitions may not be circulated before January 1, 2028 (SDCL 12-7-1.1). Forms are prescribed by State Board of Elections rule; the Secretary of State posts the independent certificate-of-nomination forms. |
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| Where | South Dakota Secretary of State, Pierre (SDCL 12-7-7). |
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| When | After December 31, 2027 and by 5:00 p.m. central time on the first Tuesday in August, August 1, 2028. A certificate mailed by registered mail by that deadline is timely. If the vice-presidential candidate withdraws, a replacement must be certified by the second Tuesday in August, August 8, 2028 (SDCL 12-7-7). (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | None set in SDCL 12-7-7. |
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| Petition | At least 1% of the total combined vote cast for Governor at the last certified gubernatorial election in the state (SDCL 12-7-7). For 2028 that is the November 2026 election; the Secretary of State publishes the exact number once the vote is certified. |
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| Also | A vice-presidential running mate must be named and must sign at filing. SDCL 12-7-7 does not require an elector slate at filing (for parties, electors are nominated at the state party convention under SDCL 12-5-21). |
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Sources: sdlegislature.gov
Campaign money
- Once you raise or spend more than $5,000, file a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2) within 15 days.
- Your campaign committee then files a Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1) within 10 days and reports to the FEC.
FEC: registering as a candidate · FEC campaign guides
Checked November 4, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with South Dakota's election office and the FEC before you file. ← All states
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