South Dakota Sec. of State Monae Johnson announces reelection bid
Republican, Rapid City native confirms she wants second term as constitutional officer
The 2026 election cycle has officially begun.
Secretary of State Monae Johnson became the first candidate to publicly declare her candidacy for statewide office in the next mid-term election Thursday night, announcing she intends to seek a second-term in the office she has occupied since December 2022.
“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve as your Secretary of State,” Johnson said in a press release to The Dakota Scout. “Together, we’ve made significant strides in improving our office, ensuring that South Dakota’s elections remain secure and accurate, and supporting our state’s vibrant business community. There is more work to be done and I am excited to build on the foundation we’ve created.”
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The incumbent touted her accomplishments as Secretary of State — including modernizing South Dakota’s voter registration system, hiring a cybersecurity analyst to safeguard elections, and helping to implement post-election audits for the first time in the state’s history.
She said she has also focused on voter engagement and registration through various initiatives, while strengthening Second Amendment rights by securing reciprocity agreements for South Dakota’s enhanced concealed carry permits with other states.
A Rapid City native who previously worked in the Secretary of State’s office under former Secretary of State Chris Nelson, Johnson said she plans to continue her efforts to modernize office systems, improve transparency, and bolster election security, if reelected.
"South Dakota deserves leadership that reflects our shared values of honesty, hard work, family and service," Johnson. "I am ready to continue this important mission, ensuring our state’s democracy remains strong and secure for generations to come."
Johnson capitalized on election integrity and security concerns following the 2020 presidential election, capturing support of Republican delegates ahead of the 2022 South Dakota GOP Convention. Backed by election integrity activists, she upset former Secretary Steve Barnett to secure the nomination before cruising to victory in the general election the following fall.
The Republican nomination for Secretary of State — along with other statewide offices like attorney general and lieutenant governor — is decided by party delegates via convention, to be held in Rapid City in June 2026.
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I proudly backed her the first time around...expecting her to honor the memory of her veteran father through honorable service to her constituents. Unfortunately, I was greatly disappointed - especially by how she treated the SD Canvassing group which tried to help her in making our elections more transparent and SECURE!
The lesson of: "Fool me once, shame on you....." we all know the rest of this saying...applies here.
Who are running against her?????
Lol nope