1980Flipped from RepublicanFinal resultsIncumbent defeated
1980 election for South Dakota Legislative District 11
South Dakota State Senate · South Dakota
Michael Oconnor (D) won with 12.1% of the vote, defeating Walt Bones Jr. (R) by 0.3 points, a seat Republicans won last time.
Michael OconnorDemocrat · winner
12.1%27,272
Walt Bones Jr.Republican
11.8%26,660
Wendell HansonRepublican
11.3%25,613
Alva W. ScarbroughRepublican · incumbent
11.0%24,736
Richard O. GregersonRepublican · incumbent
10.6%24,040
Henry J. Carlson Jr.Republican
10.3%23,320
Jerry MayerDemocrat · incumbent
10.1%22,839
Vernal L. AndersonDemocrat
8.1%18,377
Earl McCartDemocrat
8.1%18,292
A. Thomas PokelaDemocrat
6.5%14,622
225,771 votes
Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 1980
Races before and after
Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET