1974 South Dakota gubernatorial election

* * *

| <- 1972 | November 5, 1974 (1974-11-05) | 1978 ->

|
|

|  |  |

|
|

Nominee  | Richard F. Kneip | John E. Olson  |
Party  | Democratic | Republican
Running mate  | Harvey L. Wollman | Charles Clay
Popular vote  | 149,151 | 129,077
Percentage  | 53.6% | 46.4%

* * *

County results
Kneip:  50–60% 60–70%
Olson:  50–60% 60–70% 70–80%

* * *

| Governor before election

Richard F. Kneip
Democratic

| Governor

Richard F. Kneip
Democratic

|

Elections in South Dakota

Federal government

|  Presidential elections

* 1892
* 1896
* 1900
* 1904
* 1908
* 1912
* 1916
* 1920
* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1940
* 1944
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

Presidential primaries

Democratic
2004
2008
2016
2020
2024

Republican
2008
2016
2024
U.S. Senate elections

* 1889
* 1891
* 1894
* 1897
* 1901
* 1903
* 1903 sp
* 1907
* 1909
* 1913
* 1914
* 1918
* 1920
* 1924
* 1926
* 1930
* 1932
* 1936
* 1938
* 1938 sp
* 1942
* 1944
* 1948
* 1950
* 1954
* 1956
* 1960
* 1962
* 1966
* 1968
* 1972
* 1974
* 1978
* 1980
* 1984
* 1986
* 1990
* 1992
* 1996
* 1998
* 2002
* 2004
* 2008
* 2010
* 2014
* 2016
* 2020
* 2022
* 2026

U.S. House elections

* 1889
* 1890
* 1891
* AL sp
* 1892
* 1894
* 1896
* 1898
* 1900
* 1902
* 1904
* 1906
* 1908
* AL sp
* 1910
* 1912
* 1914
* 1916
* 1918
* 1920
* 1922
* 1924
* 1926
* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
* 1934
* 1936
* 1938
* 1940
* 1942
* 1944
* 1946
* 1948
* 1950
* 1952
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1960
* 1962
* 1964
* 1966
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1974
* 1976
* 1978
* 1980
* 1982
* 1984
* 1986
* 1988
* 1990
* 1992
* 1994
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* AL sp
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

State government

|  General elections

* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

Gubernatorial elections

* 1889
* 1890
* 1892
* 1894
* 1896
* 1898
* 1900
* 1902
* 1904
* 1906
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1914
* 1916
* 1918
* 1920
* 1922
* 1924
* 1926
* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
* 1934
* 1936
* 1938
* 1940
* 1942
* 1944
* 1946
* 1948
* 1950
* 1952
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1960
* 1962
* 1964
* 1966
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
* 1990
* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

Secretary of State elections

* 2022

Attorney General elections

* 2018
* 2022

Senate elections

* 2020
* 2022

House of Representatives elections

* 2020
* 2022

Ballot measures

|  2006

Amendment C
2008

Measure 9

Measure 10
2020

Amendment A

Measure 26
2024

Amendment G

Amendment H

Sioux Falls

|  City elections

* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

Mayoral elections

* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
* 1990
* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

Rapid City

|  City elections

* 2020
* 2022
* 2024
* 2026

Mayoral elections

* 2022

Pierre

|  City elections

* 2020
* 2022
* 2024
* 2026

Mayoral elections

* 2022

* v
* t
* e

The 1974 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1974, to elect a Governor of South Dakota. This election was the first in South Dakota to elect the governor for a four-year term, after it was allowed by a constitutional amendment passed in 1972.[1] Democratic nominee and Governor Richard F. Kneip was re-elected, defeating Republican nominee John E. Olson. As of 2024[update], this is the last time that a Democrat was elected Governor of South Dakota, marking the start of the longest Republican winning streak in the country for a state's governorship, as well as the longest gubernatorial winning streak by a single party.

## Democratic primary

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

* Richard F. Kneip, incumbent Governor of South Dakota
* Bill Dougherty, Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota

### Results

[edit]

Democratic primary results[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Richard F. Kneip (Incumbent)  | 45,932  | 66.19
| Democratic | Bill Dougherty  | 23,467  | 33.81
Total votes  | 69,399  | 100.00

## Republican primary

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

* John E. Olson
* Ronald F. Williamson
* Oscar W. Hagen

### Results

[edit]

Democratic primary results[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Republican | John E. Olson  | 49,973  | 55.57
| Republican | Ronald F. Williamson  | 25,509  | 28.37
| Republican | Oscar W. Hagen  | 14,444  | 16.06
Total votes  | 89,926  | 100.00

## General election

[edit]

### Results

[edit]

South Dakota gubernatorial election, 1978[3][4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Democratic | Richard F. Kneip (inc.)  | 149,151  | 53.61
| Republican | John E. Olson  | 129,077  | 46.39
Total votes  | 278,228  | 100.00
| Democratic hold

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Public affairs, Issues 52-108. February 1973. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
2. ^ a b "Official Election Returns for South Dakota" (PDF). South Dakota Secretary of State. 1974. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
3. ^ Leip, David (March 29, 2010). "1974 Gubernatorial General Election Results – South Dakota". Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
4. ^ "Official Election Results for South Dakota" (PDF). South Dakota Secretary of State. 1974. Retrieved June 5, 2014.

* v
* t
* e

(1973 <-)  1974 United States elections (-> 1975)

U.S.
Senate|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maryland
* Missouri
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Utah
* Vermont
* Washington
* Wisconsin

U.S.
House|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* District of Columbia
* Florida
* Georgia
* 6th
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

State
governors|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Lt. Gov
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* District of Columbia
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Mexico
* New York
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Vermont
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Attorneys
General|

* California

State
legislatures|

* Arizona
* Arizona House
* Arizona Senate
* Iowa Senate
* Minnesota House

Mayors|

* Washington, D.C.

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template