Governor of South Dakota
| Governor of South Dakota | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Style | The Honorable |
| Residence |
The Governor's Mansion (official) Garretson, South Dakota (private) |
| Term length | Four years, renewable once |
| Inaugural holder |
Arthur C. Mellette 1889 |
| Formation | Constitution of South Dakota |
| Salary | $98,000 (Voluntary Reduction) $115,331 (Statutory) |
| Website | Governor's Website |
The Governor of South Dakota is the head of the executive branch of the government of South Dakota. They are elected to a four-year term on even years when there is no Presidential election. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican elected in 2010 and reelected in 2014.
The governor holds many powers and duties, which in many ways are similar to those held by the President of the United States:
From 1889 until 1974, the governor served a two-year term. Until the 1940s, the governor was allowed to serve unlimited terms; since that time, governors have been limited to two consecutive terms. Beginning in 1974, the governor is elected to a four-year term, and may serve two consecutive terms. The governor is elected on a ticket with the Lieutenant Governor.
The first governor of South Dakota was Arthur C. Mellette, who was also the last governor of the Dakota Territory.
Two of South Dakota's governors have left office before their term expired. In 1978, Richard F. Kneip resigned office six months before the expiration of his term to accept an appointment as United States Ambassador to Singapore. On April 19, 1993, George S. Mickelson was killed in a plane crash near Dubuque, Iowa; Mickelson is the only South Dakota governor to die in office. Mickelson and his father, George T. Mickelson, are the only father-son duo to serve as governor.
South Dakota's longest-serving governor was Bill Janklow. Janklow was the first governor to complete two four-year terms, and he did it twice, serving from 1979 to 1987 and again from 1995 to 2003. Janklow is also the only person to serve non-consecutive terms as governor.
...
Wikipedia