General election · 3 November 2026

Secretary of State

3 candidates on the ballot, listed in certified ballot order.

Race type: Contested
Candidates: 3
Surveys returned: 1 of 3

Heather Baxter

Sitting legislator

RepublicanBallot order 1

Where they stand on data centers

100%protective votes — 5 of 5 tracked roll calls

Stood with residents

Survey: responded

“Concerns from my constituents as well as from across SD regarding data centers: Potential increase in electric bills, potential increase in water bills, lower water pressure, our water resources are limited already, sediment and water pollution, noise from the centers, interruption or extinction of wildlife in the local areas, migration of wildlife patterns being interrupted, very few jobs for South Dakotans after the construction is done, and many have said the data centers are old technology when we have technology that can match it and beat it and it takes up smaller space then a bedroom.”

“I supported legislation to give the public data center bill of rights. I would continue supporting legislation to protect SD based on what constituents ask for. I also have heard many people across SD say these multi million dollar and billion dollar companies don’t need SD tax exemptions.”

Published verbatim as submitted

How to reach them

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Tamara J. Lesnar

Not a sitting legislator

LibertarianBallot order 2

Where they stand on data centers

Nothing on record.Tamara has never held legislative office, so there are no roll calls to score.

Survey: no response recorded

With no voting record and no returned questionnaire, this page has nothing from them on data centers. Voters have no stated position to weigh.

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Terrence Davis

Not a sitting legislator

DemocratBallot order 3

Where they stand on data centers

Nothing on record.Terrence has never held legislative office, so there are no roll calls to score.

Survey: no response recorded

With no voting record and no returned questionnaire, this page has nothing from them on data centers. Voters have no stated position to weigh.

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What the flags mean

A · Data center and Big Tech: The industry itself, its lobbyists, and the trade group that testified for the 50-year tax break.
B · Utility, power and energy: Utilities, generators, transmission and the ethanol bloc — interests whose revenue rises with data center load.
C · The PAC funnel: Money arriving through a political action committee rather than directly.
D · Named individuals: People named in the underlying investigation.
E and F · Outside money: Large national spending and independent expenditure made for a candidate. Never the candidate’s own money, and never added to their receipts.

How the score is built

Roll calls on 2026 data center bills are tracked. A vote counts as protective when it sided with residents on cost, water, or local control.

Candidates with no legislative service have no score. That is shown as an absence, never as a zero.

Full roll calls and bill text: the legislative scorecard.

Correct the record

Every figure here traces to a state-published filing. If something is wrong, we want to fix it fast.

Candidates may submit a questionnaire response at any time; it is published verbatim beside the voting record.

Email corrections through the Elections page.