South Dakota's 6th legislative district

South Dakota's 6th legislative district is one of 35 districts in the South Dakota Legislature. Each district is represented by 1 senator and 2 representatives. In the Senate, it has been represented by Republican Ernie Otten Jr. since 2025. In the House, it is represented by Republicans Aaron Aylward and Herman Otten.^[1]

Geography

The district is located in the southern suburbs of Sioux Falls entirely within Lincoln County, in southeastern South Dakota.^[2] Its largest city is Harrisburg.

Recent elections

South Dakota legislators are elected to two-year terms, with each permitted to serve a maximum of four consecutive two-year terms.^[3] Elections are held every even-numbered year.

State senate elections^[4]

Year	Incumbent	Party	First elected	Result	General election	Primary elections
2024	Ernie Otten Jr.	Republican	2024	Incumbent retired. Republican hold.	▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. (Republican) 100%	Republican: ▌Y Aaron Aylward 61.3% ▌Y Herman Otten 61.3% ▌ Larry Tidemann - 38.7%
2022	Herman Otten	Republican	2020	Incumbent re-elected.	▌Y Herman Otten (Republican) 100%
2020	Herman Otten	Republican	2012	Incumbent retired. Republican hold.	▌Y Herman Otten (Republican) 66.7% ▌ Nancy Kirstein (Democratic) 33.3%	Republican: ▌Y Herman Otten 61.3% ▌ Larry Tidemann - 38.7%
2018	Ernie Otten Jr.	Republican	2012	Incumbent re-elected.	▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. (Republican) 65.1% ▌ Teresa Ann Robbins (Democratic) 34.9%
2016	Ernie Otten Jr.	Republican	2012	Incumbent re-elected.	▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. (Republican) 68.9% ▌ Kyle Boese (Democratic) 31.1%
2014	Ernie Otten Jr.	Republican	2012	Incumbent re-elected.	▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. (Republican) 71.8% ▌ Mel Zelmer (Democratic) 28.2%
2012	Art Fryslie	Republican	2008	Incumbent re-elected.	▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. (Republican) 65.4% ▌ Richard Schriever (Democratic) 34.6%	Republican: ▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. 58.9% ▌ Gene Abdallah - 41.1%

State House of Representatives elections^[5]

Year	Incumbent	Party	Result	General election	Primary elections
2024	Herman Otten (Seat 1) Aaron Aylward (Seat 2)	Republican	Republican hold.	▌Y Herman Otten (Republican) 41.7% ▌Y Aaron Aylward (Republican) 37.8% ▌ Garret Campbell (Democratic) 20.5	Republican: ▌Y Aaron Aylward 40% ▌Y Herman Otten 33% ▌ Wendi Hogan - 27%
2022	Ernie Otten Jr. (Seat 1) Aaron Aylward (Seat 2)	Republican	Republican hold.	▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. (Republican) 59.9% ▌Y Aaron Aylward (Republican) 40.1%
2020	Ernie Otten Jr. (Seat 1) Aaron Aylward (Seat 2)	Republican	Republican hold.	▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. (Republican) 45.1% ▌Y Aaron Aylward (Republican) 30.8% ▌ Cody Ingle (Democratic) 24.1%	Republican: ▌Y Ernie Otten Jr. (Republican) 37.9% ▌Y Aaron Aylward (Republican) 26.8% ▌ Nathan Block (Republican) 26% ▌ Thomas Werner (Republican) 9.4%
2018	Herman Otten (Seat 1) Isaac Latterell (Seat 2)	Republican	Republican hold.	▌Y Herman Otten (Republican) 31% ▌Y Isaac Latterell (Republican) 28.8% ▌ Nancy Kirstein (Democratic) 17.8% ▌ Kyle Boese (Democratic) 17.6% ▌ Aaron Aylward (Libertarian) 4.9%
2016	Herman Otten (Seat 1) Isaac Latterell (Seat 2)	Republican	Republican hold.	▌Y Herman Otten (Republican) 35.5% ▌Y Isaac Latterell (Republican) 32.4% ▌ Clara Hart (Democratic) 17.8% ▌ Kyle Rogers (Democratic) 14.3%
2014	Herman Otten (Seat 1) Isaac Latterell (Seat 2)	Republican	Republican hold.	▌Y Herman Otten (Republican) 45.7% ▌Y Isaac Latterell (Republican) 33.9% ▌ Richard Schriever (Democratic) 20.4%
2012	Herman Otten (Seat 1) Isaac Latterell (Seat 2)	Republican	Republican hold.	▌Y Herman Otten (Republican) 36.3% ▌Y Isaac Latterell (Republican) 31.6% ▌ Joseph Weis (Democratic) 18.2% ▌ Michael Jauron (Democratic) 13.9%

References

^ "Herman Otten". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
^ "LRC Maps". sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
^ "Article III, § 6 of the South Dakota Constitution" (PDF). sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
^ "South Dakota State Senate District 6 - Ballotpedia". Retrieved April 26, 2025.
^ "South Dakota House of Representatives District 6 - Ballotpedia". Retrieved April 26, 2025.

[1] "Herman Otten". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 22, 2023.

[2] "LRC Maps". sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved October 21, 2023.

[3] "Article III, § 6 of the South Dakota Constitution" (PDF). sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved October 21, 2023.

[4] "South Dakota State Senate District 6 - Ballotpedia". Retrieved April 26, 2025.

[5] "South Dakota House of Representatives District 6 - Ballotpedia". Retrieved April 26, 2025.

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Members of the South Dakota Senate
South Dakota Legislature (2025–present) President of the Senate Tony Venhuizen President pro tempore Chris Karr (R) Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff (R) Minority Leader Liz Larson (D)
▌Michael Rohl (R) ▌Steve Kolbeck (R) ▌Carl E. Perry (R) ▌Stephanie Sauder (R) ▌Glen A. Vilhauer (R) ▌Ernie Otten (R) ▌Tim Reed (R) ▌Casey Crabtree (R) ▌Joy Hohn (R) ▌Liz Larson (D) ▌Chris Karr (R) ▌Arch Beal (R) ▌Sue Peterson (R) ▌Larry Zikmund (R) ▌Jamie Smith (D) ▌Kevin D. Jensen (R) ▌Sydney Davis (R) ▌Lauren Nelson (R) ▌Kyle Schoenfish (R) ▌Paul Miskimins (R) ▌Mykala Voita (R) ▌Vacant ▌Mark Lapka (R) ▌Jim Mehlhaff (R) ▌Tom Pischke (R) ▌Tamara Grove (R) ▌Red Dawn Foster (D) ▌Sam Marty (R) ▌John Carley (R) ▌Amber Hulse (R) ▌Randy Deibert (R) ▌Helene Duhamel (R) ▌Curt Voight (R) ▌Taffy Howard (R) ▌Greg Blanc (R)
▌Republican (32) ▌Democratic (3) South Dakota Legislature South Dakota House of Representatives South Dakota Senate

Members of the South Dakota House of Representatives
South Dakota Legislature (2025–present) Speaker of the House Jon Hansen (R-25) Speaker pro tempore Karla Lems (R-16) Majority Leader Scott Odenbach (R-31) Minority Leader Erin Healy (D-10)
1. ▌Logan Manhart (R) ⎣ ▌Vacant 2. ▌David Kull (R) ⎣ ▌John Sjaarda (R) 3. ▌Brandei Schaefbauer (R) ⎣ ▌Al Novstrup (R) 4. ▌Kent Roe (R) ⎣ ▌Dylan C. Jordan (R) 5. ▌Matt Roby (R) ⎣ ▌Josephine Garcia (R) 6. ▌Aaron Aylward (R) ⎣ ▌Tim Czmowski (R) 7. ▌Mellissa Heermann (R) ⎣ ▌Roger DeGroot (R) 8. ▌Tim Walburg (R) ⎣ ▌Tim Reisch (R) 9. ▌Bethany Soye (R) ⎣ ▌Tesa Schwans (R) 10. ▌Erin Healy (D) ⎣ ▌Bobbi Andera (R) 11. ▌Brian Mulder (R) ⎣ ▌Keri Weems (R) 12. ▌Amber Arlint (R) ⎣ ▌Greg Jamison (R) 13. ▌John Hughes (R) ⎣ ▌Jack Kolbeck (R) 14. ▌Taylor Rehfeldt (R) ⎣ ▌Tony Kayser (R) 15. ▌Kadyn Wittman (D) ⎣ ▌Erik Muckey (D) 16. ▌Karla Lems (R) ⎣ ▌Richard Vasgaard (R) 17. ▌William Shorma (R) ⎣ ▌Chris Kassin (R) 18. ▌Mike Stevens (R) ⎣ ▌Julie Auch (R) 19. ▌Drew Peterson (R) ⎣ ▌Jessica Bahmuller (R) 20. ▌Jeff Bathke (R) ⎣ ▌Kaley Nolz (R) 21. ▌Jim Halverson (R) ⎣ ▌Marty Overweg (R) 22. ▌Kevin Van Diepen (R) ⎣ ▌Lana Greenfield (R) 23. ▌Scott Moore (R) ⎣ ▌Spencer Gosch (R) 24. ▌Will Mortenson (R) ⎣ ▌Mike Weisgram (R) 25. ▌Jon Hansen (R) ⎣ ▌Leslie Heinemann (R) 26A. ▌Eric Emery (D) 26B. ▌Rebecca Reimer (R) 27. ▌Liz Marty May (R) ⎣ ▌Peri Pourier (D) 28A. ▌Jana Hunt (R) 28B. ▌Neil Pinnow (R) 29. ▌Terri Jorgenson (R) ⎣ ▌Kathy Rice (R) 30. ▌Tim Goodwin (R) ⎣ ▌Trish Ladner (R) 31. ▌Mary Fitzgerald (R) ⎣ ▌Scott Odenbach (R) 32. ▌Nicole Uhre-Balk (D) ⎣ ▌Steve Duffy (R) 33. ▌Curt Massie (R) ⎣ ▌Phil Jensen (R) 34. ▌Mike Derby (R) ⎣ ▌Heather Baxter (R) 35. ▌Tina Mulally (R) ⎣ ▌Tony Randolph (R)
▌Republican (64) ▌Democratic (6) South Dakota Legislature South Dakota House of Representatives South Dakota Senate

Legislative districts of South Dakota
List of South Dakota legislative districts Each district elects one Senator and two members of the House. 33 districts elect their House members at-large, and districts 26 and 28 are split into 2 sub-districts.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26A/B 27th 28A/B 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd 34th 35th

Geography

Recent elections

State senate elections[4]

State House of Representatives elections[5]

References

State senate elections^[4]

State House of Representatives elections^[5]