The lieutenant governor of South Dakota is the second-ranking member of the executive branch of South Dakota state government and also serves as presiding officer of the South Dakota Senate. The lieutenant governor succeeds to the governorship if the office becomes vacant, and may also serve as acting governor if the governor is incapacitated or absent from the state.
Since 1974, the lieutenant governor has been elected on a ticket with the governor. Seven lieutenant governors have gone on to be elected governor in their own right: Charles N. Herreid (1900 & 1902), Frank M. Byrne (1912 & 1914), Peter Norbeck (1916 & 1918), William H. McMaster (1920 & 1922), Carl Gunderson (1924), Nils Boe (1964 & 1966) and Dennis Daugaard (2010 & 2014). Three others succeeded to the office of governor: Harvey L. Wollman, Walter Dale Miller, and Larry Rhoden.
The current lieutenant governor is Tony Venhuizen, since 30 January 2025.
List of lieutenant governors
Parties
Image Lt. Governor Party From To Governor(s) served under 1 James H. Fletcher Republican 1889 1891 Arthur C. Mellette 2 George H. Hoffman Republican 1891 1893 Arthur C. Mellette 3 Charles N. Herreid Republican 1893 1897 Charles H. Sheldon 4 Daniel T. Hindman Republican 1897 1899 Andrew E. Lee 5 John T. Kean Republican 1899 1901 Andrew E. Lee 6 George W. Snow Republican 1901 1905 Charles N. Herreid 7 John E. McDougall Republican 1905 1907 Samuel H. Elrod 8 Howard C. Shober Republican 1907 1911 Coe I. CrawfordRobert S. Vessey 9 Frank M. Byrne Republican 1911 1913 Robert S. Vessey 10 Edward Lincoln Abel Republican 1913 1915 Frank M. Byrne 11 Peter Norbeck Republican 1915 1917 Frank M. Byrne 12 William H. McMaster Republican 1917 1921 Peter Norbeck 13 Carl Gunderson Republican 1921 1925 William H. McMaster 14 Alva Clark Forney Republican 1925 1927 Carl Gunderson 15 Hyatt E. Covey Republican 1927 1929 William J. Bulow 16 Clarence E. CoyneClarence E. Coyne died on May 27, 1929, and John T. Grigsby was appointed to fill the vacancy. Republican 1929 1929 William J. Bulow 17 John T. Grigsby Democratic 1929 1931 William J. Bulow 18 Odell K. Whitney Republican 1931 1933 Warren Green 19 Hans Ustrud Democratic 1933 1935 Tom Berry 20 Robert Peterson Democratic 1935 1937 Tom Berry 21 Donald McMurchie Republican 1937 1941 Leslie JensenHarlan J. Bushfield 22 Albert C. Miller Republican 1941 1945 Harlan J. BushfieldMerrill Q. Sharpe 23 Sioux K. Grigsby Republican 1945 1949 Merrill Q. SharpeGeorge T. Mickelson 24 Rex A. Terry Republican 1949 1955 George T. MickelsonSigurd Anderson 25 L. Roy Houck Republican 1955 1959 Joe Foss 26 John F. Lindley Democratic 1959 1961 Ralph Herseth 27 Joseph H. BottumJoseph H. Bottum was appointed United States Senator on July 9, 1962. No appointment was made to fill the vacancy. Republican 1961 1962 Archie M. Gubbrud 28 Nils Boe Republican 1963 1965 Archie M. Gubbrud 29 Lem Overpeck Republican 1965 1969 Nils Boe 30 James Abdnor Republican 1969 1971 Frank Farrar 31 William Dougherty Democratic 1971 1975 Richard Kneip 32 Harvey L. WollmanHarvey L. Wollman succeeded to the office of governor on July 24, 1978 upon the resignation of Governor Richard F. Kneip. No appointment was made to fill the vacancy. Democratic 1975 1978 Richard Kneip 33 Lowell C. Hansen II Republican 1979 1987 Bill Janklow 34 Walter Dale MillerWalter Dale Miller succeeded to the office of governor on April 19, 1993 after Governor George S. Mickelson was killed in a plane crash. Steve T. Kirby was appointed to fill the vacancy. Republican 1987 1993 George S. Mickelson 35 Steve T. Kirby Republican 1993 1995 Walter Dale Miller 36 Carole Hillard Republican 1995 2003 Bill Janklow 37 Dennis Daugaard Republican 2003 2011 Mike Rounds 38 Matt Michels Republican 2011 2019 Dennis Daugaard 39 Larry RhodenLarry Rhoden succeeded to the office of governor on January 25, 2025 after Governor Kristi Noem resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. Tony Venhuizen was appointed to fill the vacancy. Republican 2019 2025 Kristi Noem 40 Tony Venhuizen Republican 2025 Incumbent Larry Rhoden
See also Lieutenant governor (United States) (generally)
Notes