Former Senate candidate, current inmate, wants off sex offender list

Joel Koskan argues in lawsuit that consensual incest similar to bigamy

A former candidate for state Senate who was convicted last year of having sex with a foster daughter has filed suit against the Department of Corrections and the South Dakota Legislature.

Joel Koskan alleges that DOC policies on sex offenders violate his constitutional rights, and he argues that he shouldn’t be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offenders Registration and Notification Act.

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Koskan, 45, pleaded guilty to two counts of incest and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in April. He’s currently incarcerated at the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield. According to DOC records, Koskan is eligible for parole on Aug. 3, 2025.

The Mellette County man was a Republican candidate for Senate in District 26, and he had an active presence on social media. But his social media presence disappeared prior to the 2022 election when authorities confirmed their investigation.

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