> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Showing our math: The numbers behind the latest poll - URL: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/news-watch-chiesman-poll-summary-methodology/ - Published: 2025-11-26T13:14:13.000Z - Updated: 2025-11-26T13:14:13.000Z - Description: South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center at USD poll summaries, stories, demographics and methodology. - Author: Carson Walker - Tags: Government/Politics, News Watch, #feature-3 The latest scientific survey of registered South Dakota voters offered insight into the leading contenders for governor and Congress, the favorability of the state's top politicians and other results. South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota sponsored the biannual poll and published stories over the past few weeks on [sdnewswatch.org](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/tag/politics/). Below are links to those stories and a summary of each as well as the raw numbers gleaned from the poll that offer a glimpse into geographic and demographic differences. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/2024/11/Donate-News-Watch--3-.png)](https://southdakotanewswatch.fundjournalism.org/donate/?%5Fgl=1%2A1txxzuc%2A%5Fgcl%5Fau%2AMjAyOTY2NTc3My4xNzMwNDcxOTUz%2A%5Fga%2AMTM3NDcyODMyNS4xNzAyMTQ0MTg3%2A%5Fga%5FH98KVPR32J%2AMTczMDkzMzA3Ni40Mi4wLjE3MzA5MzMwNzYuMC4wLjA.&ref=sdnewswatch.org) Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, [ranked as one of the least-biased and most-factual pollsters](https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/mason-dixon-polling-bias-and-credibility/?ref=sdnewswatch.org), conducted the poll of 500 registered voters from all parties and 502 Republican voters Oct. 16-20 using random selections from a telephone-matched state voter registration list that included both landline and cellphone numbers from across the state. Quotas were assigned to reflect voter registration by county. The margin for error is no more than plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. [South Dakota Election Voter GuideEverything South Dakota voters need to know about statewide contests in the primary and general elections.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-303.jpg)South Dakota News WatchCarson Walker![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/thumbnail/2024-6-4-Election-signs-1-2.JPG)](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/south-dakota-voter-guide-primary-general-election/) Julia Hellwege, University of South Dakota associate professor in political science and director of the Chiesman Center, said regularly surveying people's attitudes toward elected officials, candidates, current events and trust in institutions helps track the state and health of democracy. "By understanding the public’s attitudes, we can hold government, and ourselves, accountable. This in turn allows us to share that information with the goal of promoting continued civic engagement, which requires both information and action," she said. ## ****Get South Dakota stories** An email summary on most weekdays that links to the full version. Cancel anytime. Sign up Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Besides co-sponsoring the poll, the Chiesman Center is asking South Dakotans to submit questions about how government works and which level of government they turn to with their concerns: school board, city council, county commission, tribal government or the state Legislature. [Submit your questions on this form](https://sites.google.com/usd.edu/chiesman/dakota-dialogues?ref=sdnewswatch.org) and they may be featured on an upcoming episode of "Civics Uncovered," season 3 of the [Dakota Dialogues podcast](https://sites.google.com/usd.edu/chiesman/dakota-dialogues?ref=sdnewswatch.org). ## Poll story summaries and links Here are the latest poll summaries and links to the full stories: - U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson and Gov. Larry Rhoden are effectively tied atop the race for the Republican nomination for governor, while Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden and state Rep. Jon Hansen have surged in popularity over the past six months. [Read the full story](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/sd-poll-gop-gubernatorial-governor-rhoden-johnson-doeden-hanson/). - If the 2026 primary election for U.S. House were held today, most South Dakota Republicans would support Attorney General Marty Jackley ahead of state Sen. Casey Crabtree and Piedmont businessman James Bialota. [Read the full story](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/sd-house-poll-jackley-bialota-crabtree-gop-republican/). - South Dakota's most prominent political leaders generally maintain high approval ratings among registered voters. However, Kristi Noem, former governor and current secretary of Homeland Security, has seen declines from a poll six months ago, and U.S. Sen. John Thune's ratings may reflect the challenges of balancing state interests and national priorities in his new role as majority leader. [Read the full story](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/approval-ratings-poll-noem-rhoden-doeden-thune-rounds-jackley-johnson/). - More than two-thirds of South Dakota voters surveyed approve of the new men's prison planned for Sioux Falls. [Read the full story](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/poll-voters-new-prison-sioux-falls-rehabilitation-task-force/). - Voter support for President Donald Trump's tariffs is uneven and largely split along political party lines, with most Republicans in approval. [Read the full story](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/poll-president-trump-tariffs-agriculture-politics-south-dakota/). - South Dakotans have a high degree of polarization between parties when it comes to their trust in government and public institutions, which includes state government, all three branches of the federal government, the media and higher education. [Read the full story](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/poll-confidence-government-executive-legislative-judicial-institutions-sd/). ## The raw numbers Here are documents with details of the poll results, which can be downloaded by clicking the arrow: [GOP voter tabs 2025-10Results of the Republican-only questions.GOP voter tabs 2025-10.pdf162 KBdownload-circle](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/files/2025/11/GOP-voter-tabs-2025-10.pdf "Download") [All party tabs 2025-10Results of questions asked to registered voters of all political parties. All party tabs 2025-10.pdf216 KBdownload-circle](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/files/2025/11/All-party-tabs-2025-10.pdf "Download") [All party demographics 2025-10Demographics of registered voters from all political parties. All party demographics 2025-10.pdf162 KBdownload-circle](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/files/2025/11/All-party-demographics-2025-10.pdf "Download") [GOP voter demographics 2025-10Demographics of registered Republican voters. GOP voter demographics 2025-10.pdf161 KBdownload-circle](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/files/2025/11/GOP-voter-demographics-2025-10.pdf "Download") [All party methodology 2025-10Methodology of questions asked of registered voters from all parties. All party methodology 2025-10.pdf253 KBdownload-circle](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/files/2025/11/All-party-methodology-2025-10.pdf "Download") [GOP voter methodology 2025-10Methodology of questions asked of Republican-only voters. GOP voter methodology 2025-10.pdf253 KBdownload-circle](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/files/2025/11/GOP-voter-methodology-2025-10.pdf "Download") [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/2024/11/Donate-News-Watch-2--1-.png)](https://southdakotanewswatch.fundjournalism.org/donate/?%5Fgl=1%2A10w9pkh%2A%5Fgcl%5Fau%2AMjAyOTY2NTc3My4xNzMwNDcxOTUz%2A%5Fga%2AMTM3NDcyODMyNS4xNzAyMTQ0MTg3%2A%5Fga%5FH98KVPR32J%2AMTczMTAxOTY1OS40NC4wLjE3MzEwMTk2NTkuMC4wLjA.&ref=sdnewswatch.org) [Share your thoughts on this story](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTmGFf24Uhwiwd%5FndSxHkv6oBGSAy1LxF9BbwRbhBK5KflA/viewform?usp=sf%5Flink&ref=sdnewswatch.org) *This story was produced by *South Dakota News Watch*, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at* [*sdnewswatch.org*](http://sdnewswatch.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org) *and* [*sign up for an email*](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email) *to get stories when they're published. *Contact Carson Walker* at* [*carson.walker@sdnewswatch.org*](mailto:carson.walker@sdnewswatch.org).