The five states with the most similar presidential voting records to South Dakota are all located in the Western part of the United States. These states tend to be sparsely populated and have a lot of farmland. Since 1968, they have always voted for the Republican Party candidate for president.
5 States with similar presidential preferences to South Dakota
- North Dakota and South Dakota are very similar states. In fact, they have voted for the same presidential candidates in every election since 1920. Interestingly enough, in the 1916 contest, North Dakota voted for the Democrat, Woodrow Wilson, while South Dakota voted for the Republican Charles Evans Hughes.
- Oklahoma is another state in the Great Plains region on this list. South Dakota and Oklahoma have voted for the same presidential candidates in every election since 1952. However, in 2008, John McCain won by more than 30 percent in Oklahoma, while he won by less than 10 percent in South Dakota.
- Kansas is extremely similar to North Dakota and South Dakota as well. It has also voted for the same presidential ticket as these states in every election since 1920. However one difference is that Barack Obama lost by a greater margin in Kansas in 2008.
- Wyoming is on South Dakota’s western border. The two states have preferred the same presidential candidates since 1952. However, in the 1948 contest, Wyoming voted for the Democrat, Harry Truman, while South Dakota voted for the Republican Thomas Dewey.
- Nebraska is on South Dakota’s southern border. These states have voted for the same candidates in every presidential election since 1920, including three times for Donald Trump and three times for Richard Nixon.
5 States with least similar presidential preferences to South Dakota
South Dakota Presidential Voting History
2024: Donald Trump (R)
2020: Donald Trump (R)
2016: Donald Trump (R)
2012: Mitt Romney (R)
2008: John McCain (R)
2004: George W. Bush (R)
2000: George W. Bush (R)
1996: Bob Dole (R)
1992: George H.W. Bush (R)
1988: George H.W. Bush (R)
1984: Ronald Reagan (R)
1980: Ronald Reagan (R)
1976: Gerald Ford (R)
1972: Richard Nixon (R)
1968: Richard Nixon (R)
1964: Lyndon B. Johnson (D)
1960: Richard Nixon (R)