PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — A record number of women have won election to the South Dakota Legislature for the 2025-26 term, and two of the Minnehaha County women will make history as the Democratic leaders for the new term.
Liz Larson of Sioux Falls will lead the three Democrats who were elected to the Senate on Tuesday. Larson succeeds Reynold Nesiba of Sioux Falls.
Erin H e aly of Sioux Falls will lead the House Democrats . Healy succeeds Oren Lesmeister of Parade.
Larson and Healy are the first women chosen to lead the Democratic caucuses, according to a statement from the South Dakota Democratic Party.
Nesiba and Lesmeister were term-limited and neither chose to seek election to the other chamber.
At least 38 women won election to the 105 seats on Tuesday. The previous high mark of 30 was set in the 2020 election and matched in 2022, according to South Dakota Legislative Research Council data.
There could be one more woman. Unofficial results from Tuesday showed Democrat Erik Muckey of Sioux Falls finishing nine votes ahead of Republican Joni Tschetter of Sioux Falls for one of the seats in House District 15. That falls within the 2% margin for when a candidate may request a recount.