Attorney General of South Dakota

Attorney General of South Dakota
Attorney General of South Dakota
	Seal of South Dakota
	Incumbent; Jason Ravnsborg; since January 5, 2019
Style	The Honorable
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Formation	Constitution of South Dakota, 1889
First holder	Robert Dollard
Salary	$118,603
Website	https://atg.sd.gov/

The Attorney General of South Dakota is the state attorney general of the U.S. state of South Dakota. The attorney general is elected by popular vote to a four-year term and holds an executive position as the state's chief legal officer. In 1992, the voters approved a Constitutional Amendment to limit all constitutional officers and the governor to two consecutive four year terms.^[3]^[4]

Structure of the office

The South Dakota Attorney General's Office represents and provides legal advice to agencies, boards, and commissions of the government of South Dakota. The office represents the state in state and federal court, as well as in administrative adjudication and rulemaking hearings. The office handles felony criminal appeals, advises local prosecutors in the conduct of criminal trials and handles cases at the request of local prosecutors. In addition, the office issues formal opinions interpreting statutes for the agencies and political subdivisions of the state.^[5]

History

Within South Dakota, the office of attorney general is often considered a stepping stone to the office of governor.^[6] Six attorneys general Coe I. Crawford (won 1904 & 1906), Merrell Q. Sharpe (won 1942 & 1944; lost 1946), George Theodore Mickelson (won 1946 & 1948), Sigurd Anderson (won 1950 & 1952; lost 1964), Frank Farrar (won 1968; lost 1970) and Bill Janklow (won 1978, 1982, 1994 & 1998) have each been elected governor. While six others, Robert Dollard (lost 1892), Mark Barnett (lost 2002), Buell Jones (lost 1928), Leo Temmey (lost 1942), Phil Saunders (lost 1958), and Marty Jackley (lost 2018), have run for governor unsuccessfully. Attorneys General and former Attorneys General have a record of 13 wins and 9 losses in running for Governor. A graduate of the University of South Dakota School of Law has held the office of Attorney General uninterrupted since 1959. South Dakota has the second longest streak of Republican Attorneys General in the country, dating back to 1975 (Nebraska has had Republican Attorneys General since 1951). ^[7]

List of attorneys general

Parties

Democratic (4) Republican (26) Populist (1)

No.	Picture	Name (Birth-Death)	Term of Office	Political Party	Law school
1		Robert Dollard (1842-1912)	1889–1893	Republican	Read law
2		Coe I. Crawford (1858-1944)	1893–1897	Republican	University of Iowa College of Law
3		Melvin Grigsby (1845-1917)	1897–1899	Populist	Read law with William Pitt Dewey
4		John L. Pyle (1860-1902)	1899–1902	Republican	Read law under Manford E. Williams
5		Adolphus W. Burtt (1832-1917)	1902–1903	Republican	Read Law under Michael E. Crofoot
6		Philo Hall (1865-1938)	1903-1907	Republican	Read law under J.O. Andrews
7		S. Wesley Clark (1872-1949)	1907–1911	Republican	Read law under Thomas Sterling
8		Royal Johnson (1882-1939)	1911–1915	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
9		Clarence C. Caldwell (1877-1957)	1915–1919	Republican	University of Chicago Law School (attended) University of South Dakota School of Law (graduated)
10		Byron S. Payne (1876-1949)	1919–1923	Republican	University of Minnesota Law School
11		Buell F. Jones (1892-1947)	1923–1929	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
12		Merrell Q. Sharpe (1888-1962)	1929–1933	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
13		D. Walter Conway (1898-1956)	1933–1937	Democratic	Creighton University School of Law
14		Clair Roddewig (1902-1975)	1937–1939	Democratic	Creighton University School of Law
15		Leo A. Temmey (1894-1975)	1939–1943	Republican	University of Minnesota Law School
16		George T. Mickelson (1903-1965)	1943–1947	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
17		Sigurd Anderson (1904-1990)	1947–1951	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
18		Ralph A. Dunham (1906-1959)	1951–1955	Republican	University of Iowa College of Law
19		Phil Saunders (1920-1997)	1955–1959	Republican	Northwestern University School of Law
20	File:Parnell Donahue, 20th Attorney General of South Dakota.jpg	Parnell J. Donahue (1916-1990)	1959–1961	Democratic	University of South Dakota School of Law
21		Albert C. Miller (1898-1979)	1961–1963	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
22		Frank Farrar (b. 1929)	1963–1969	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
23		Gordon Mydland (b. 1922)	1969–1973	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
24	File:Kermit A. Sande, 24th Attorney General of South Dakota.jpg	Kermit A. Sande (1943-2018)	1973–1975	Democratic	University of South Dakota School of Law
25		Bill Janklow (1939-2012)	1975–1979	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
26		Mark V. Meierhenry (1944-2020)	1979–1987	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
27		Roger Tellinghuisen (b. 1953)	1987–1991	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
28		Mark Barnett (b.1954)	1991–2003	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
29		Larry Long (b. 1947)	2003–2009	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
30		Marty Jackley (b. 1970)	2009–2019	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law
31		Jason Ravnsborg (b. 1976)	2019–present	Republican	University of South Dakota School of Law

Living former Attorneys General of South Dakota

As of August 2021^[update], there were seven former and current Attorneys General of South Dakota still alive, the oldest Attorneys General of South Dakota being Gordon Mydland (served 1969–1973, born 1922). The most recent Attorney General of South Dakota to pass away was Mark V. Meierhenry (served 1979–1987) on July 29, 2020.

Attorney General	Attorney General term	Date of birth (and age)
Frank Farrar	1963-1969	(1929-04-02) April 2, 1929 (age 95)
Gordon Mydland	1969-1973	(1922-05-12) May 12, 1922 (age 102)
Roger Tellinghuisen	1987-1991	(1953-03-27) March 27, 1953 (age 71)
Mark Barnett	1991-2003	(1954-09-04) September 4, 1954 (age 70)
Larry Long	2003-2009	(1947-09-30) September 30, 1947 (age 77)
Marty Jackley	2009-2019	(1970-10-13) October 13, 1970 (age 54)

Elections

The voters of the U.S. State of South Dakota elect an attorney general for a four-year term. The winning candidate is shown in bold.

Year	Democratic	Republican	Other Parties	Election Day
2022				Nov. 8,2022
2018	Randy Seiler 145,558	Jason Ravnsborg 179,071		Nov. 6,2018
2014		Marty Jackley 208,848	Chad Huber (Libertarian) 45,856	Nov. 4,2014
2010	Ron Volesky 100,182	Marty Jackley 202,499		Nov. 2,2010
2006	Ron Volesky: 104,267	Larry Long 207,079	Randy Ristesund (Libertarian) 8,904	Nov. 7,2006
2002	Ron Volesky: 139,451	Larry Long 174,513	Bob Newland (Libertarian) 12,131	Nov. 2,2002
1998		Mark Barnett (lawyer) 223,000		Nov. 3,1998
1994	Randy Turner 106,709	Mark Barnett (lawyer) 192,147	Bert Olson (Libertarian) 9,410	Nov. 8,1994
1990	Michael Butler 102,231	Mark Barnett(lawyer) 150,109		Nov. 6,1990
1986	Jeff Masten 133,577	Roger Tellinghuisen 153,871		Nov. 4,1986
1982	Rod Lefholz 119,697	Mark V. Meierhenry 153,728		Nov.2,1982
1978	Max Gors 106,199	Mark V. Meierhenry 141,891		Nov.7,1978
1974	Kermit A. Sande 86,865	William Janklow 173,658		Nov. 5,1974
1972	Kermit A. Sande 152,835	Ron Schmidt 143,367		Nov. 7,1972
1970	Ramon Roubideaux 114,633	Gordon Mydland 116,493		Nov.3,1970
1968	James Abourezk 118,045	Gordon Mydland 148,366		Nov.5,1968
1966	Robert W. Swanson 79,670	Frank Farrar 141,734		Nov.8,1966
1964	William C. Grady 125,047	Frank Farrar 157,848		Nov.3,1964
1962	Thomas E. Poe 107,897	Frank Farrar 137,836		Nov. 6,1962
1960	Parnell J. Donahue 138,320	Albert C. Miller 160,299		Nov.8,1960
1958	Parnell J. Donahue 126,225	George Wuest 122,332		Nov.4,1958
1956	William H. Heuermann 127,988	Phil Saunders 156,149		Nov.6,1956
1954	Fred J. Nichol 102,726	Phil Saunders 127,692		Nov.2,1954
1952	C.W. (Bill) Hyde 94,396	Ralph A. Dunham 187,888		Nov.4,1952
1950	George A. Bangs 97,792	Ralph A. Dunham 144,694		Nov.7,1950
1948	D.C. Walsh 99,724	Sigurd Anderson 137,370		Nov.2,1948
1946	Albert F. Ulmer 50,480	Sigurd Anderson 106,502		Nov.5,1946
1944	Fred E. Wheeler 83,441	George T. Mickelson 137,311		Nov.7,1944
1942	Lynn Fellows 62,527	George T. Mickelson 108,155		Nov.3,1942
1940	Andrew Foley 122,173	Leo A. Temmey 170,269		Nov.7,1940
1938	Clair Roddewig 123,671	Leo A. Temmey 144,125		Nov.8,1938
1936	Clair Roddewig 138,786	Sterling Clark 138,410		Nov.3,1936
1934	D. Walter Conway 158,553	Roy A. Nord 112,764		Nov.6,1934
1932	D. Walter Conway 135,393	Merrell Q. Sharpe 128,644		Nov.8,1932
1930	J.T. Grigsby 86,984	Merrell Q. Sharpe 101,961		Nov.4,1930
1928	Ray E. Doughtery 99,604	Merrell Q. Sharpe137,079	Lars J. Grinager (F.L.) 3,611	Nov.6,1928
1926	Charles F. Noonon 54,194	Buell F. Jones 98,570	C.W.Kirschman (F.L.) 11,772	Nov.2,1926
1924	F.E. Flynn 39,278	Buell F. Jones 105,749	Thos L. Arnold (F.L.) 29,789	Nov.4,1924
1922	J.P. Alexander 38,125	Buell F. Jones 83,221	O.S. Hagen (N.P.) 36,337	Nov.7,1922
1920	Peter Ward 30,108	Byron S. Payne 104,417	O.M. Burch (N.P.) 43,891	Nov.2,1920
1918	Joseph J. Conry 19,712	Byron S. Payne 47,604	Seth Teesdale (Independent)	Nov.5, 1918
1916	Joseph J. Conry 47,423	Clarence C. Caldwell 72,245	W.R. DeArment (Socialist) 3,620	Nov.7,1916
1914	L.W.Bicknell 33,705	Clarence C. Caldwell 54,129	M.J. Russell 1,403	Nov.3,1914
1912	W.A. Lynch 42,762	Royal Johnson 66,553		Nov.5,1912
1910	W.A. Lynch 30,533	Royal Johnson 66,085	Stacy A. Cochran (Independent) 1,656	Nov.8,1910
1908		S. Wesley Clark 68,605	John B. Hanten (Good Government)19,613 S.H. Cranmer (Socialist) 2,906 Geo W Lattin (Scales of Justice) 141	Nov.3,1908
1906	Calvin J.B. Harris 19,942	S. Wesley Clark 48,287	S.H. Cranmer (Socialist) 2,372	Nov.6,1906
1904	Edmund W. Fiske 23,398	Philo Hall 69,529	S.H. Cranmer (Socialist) 2,866 T.H. Null (People's) 1,158	Nov.8,1904
1902	William A. Lynch 21,055	Philo Hall 48,425	S.H. Cranmer (Socialist) 2,636	Nov.4,1902
1900		John L. Pyle 53,909	Abner E. Hitchcock (Fusion) 40,057	Nov.6,1900
1898		John L. Pyle 38,701	C.S. Palmer (Fusion) 34,147	Nov.8,1898
1896		S.V.Jones 40,931	Melvin Grigsby (Populist) 41,316	Nov.3,1986
1894	S.W. Treesh 8,451	Coe I. Crawford 40,805	T.H. Null (Independent) 27,214	Nov.4,1894
1892	Henry C. Walsh 14,788	Coe I. Crawford 33,778	W.H. Curtis (Independent) 21,730	Nov.8,1892
1890	S.B. Van Buskirk 17,824	Robert Dollard 35,241	S.W. Cosand (Independent) 24,546	Nov.4,1890
1889	H.F. Fellows 22,632	Robert Dollard 55,364		Oct.1,1889

References

^ "Article IV, Section 2, Constitution of South Dakota". South Dakota Legislature. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
^ "Jason Ravnsborg". Retrieved 12 July 2020.</
^ "South Dakota Term Limits, Amendment A (1992)". ballotpedia. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
^ "Constitutional Amendment A". sdsos.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
^ "Chapter 1-11 Attorney General". sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
^ Nixon, Lance. "Many Paths to Governor". capjournal.com. Capitol Journal.
^ "The Longest Partisan State Attorney General Streaks in the nation". lib.umn.edu. October 25, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2019.</

External links

South Dakota Attorney General official website
South Dakota Attorney General articles at Legal Newsline Legal Journal
South Dakota Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
News and Commentary at FindLaw
South Dakota Codified Laws at Law.Justia.com
U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of South Dakota" at FindLaw
State Bar of South Dakota
South Dakota Attorney General Marty J. Jackley profile at National Association of Attorneys General
Press releases at South Dakota Attorney General

[SD_Constitution_4_2-1] "Article IV, Section 2, Constitution of South Dakota". South Dakota Legislature. Retrieved 27 July 2019.

[2] "Jason Ravnsborg". Retrieved 12 July 2020.</

[3] "South Dakota Term Limits, Amendment A (1992)". ballotpedia. Retrieved June 3, 2019.

[4] "Constitutional Amendment A". sdsos.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2019.

[5] "Chapter 1-11 Attorney General". sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2019.

[6] Nixon, Lance. "Many Paths to Governor". capjournal.com. Capitol Journal.

[7] "The Longest Partisan State Attorney General Streaks in the nation". lib.umn.edu. October 25, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2019.</

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

v t e Attorneys general of the United States
United States Attorney General: ▌Merrick Garland (NP)
AL ▌Steve Marshall (R) AK ▌Treg Taylor (R) AZ ▌Kris Mayes (D) AR ▌Tim Griffin (R) CA ▌Rob Bonta (D) CO ▌Phil Weiser (D) CT ▌William Tong (D) DE ▌Kathy Jennings (D) FL ▌Ashley Moody (R) GA ▌Christopher M. Carr (R) HI ▌Anne E. Lopez (D) ID ▌Raúl Labrador (R) IL ▌Kwame Raoul (D) IN ▌Todd Rokita (R) IA ▌Brenna Bird (R) KS ▌Kris Kobach (R) KY ▌Russell Coleman (R) LA ▌Liz Murrill (R) ME ▌Aaron Frey (D) MD ▌Anthony Brown (D) MA ▌Andrea Campbell (D) MI ▌Dana Nessel (D) MN ▌Keith Ellison (DFL) MS ▌Lynn Fitch (R) MO ▌Andrew Bailey (R) MT ▌Austin Knudsen (R) NE ▌Mike Hilgers (R) NV ▌Aaron D. Ford (D) NH ▌John Formella (R) NJ ▌Matt Platkin (D) NM ▌Raúl Torrez (D) NY ▌Letitia James (D) NC ▌Josh Stein (D) ND ▌Drew Wrigley (R) OH ▌Dave Yost (R) OK ▌Gentner Drummond (R) OR ▌Ellen Rosenblum (D) PA ▌Michelle Henry (D) RI ▌Peter Neronha (D) SC ▌Alan Wilson (R) SD ▌Marty Jackley (R) TN ▌Jonathan Skrmetti (R) TX ▌Ken Paxton (R) UT ▌Sean Reyes (R) VT ▌Charity Clark (D) VA ▌Jason Miyares (R) WA ▌Bob Ferguson (D) WV ▌Patrick Morrisey (R) WI ▌Josh Kaul (D) WY ▌Bridget Hill (R) Federal districts: DC ▌Brian Schwalb (D) Territories: AS ▌Fainu'ulelei Alailima-Utu GU ▌Doug Moylan (R) MP ▌Ed Manibusan (D) PR ▌Domingo Emanuelli (NPP) VI ▌Gordon Rhea
Political party affiliations ▌28 Republicans (27 states, 1 territory) ▌25 Democrats (23 states, 1 territory, 1 district) ▌1 New Progressive (1 territory) ▌2 Unknown (2 territories) An asterisk (*) indicates that the officeholder is serving in an acting capacity. State abbreviations link to position articles.