Chris Karr
South Dakota State Senator, District 11 since 2024. Ran in 5 elections between 2016 and 2024, winning 5. Ran for re-election in 2026; the count goes on.
- In office
- 1 yr
- Since 2024
- Bills became law
- 13
- 33 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.9%
- Chamber median 0.8%
- With party
- 91%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +17.8
- Won 2024
- Elections
- 6
- 2016–2026
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Bonding · chair
- Developmental Disability Service Delivery · chair
- Executive Board · chair
- Legislative Procedure · chair
- Legislative Procedure · chair
- South Dakota-Ireland Trade Commission · chair
- Commerce and Energy
- Government Operations and Audit
- Government Operations and Audit
- State Affairs
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Administrative Procedure · Became law Mar 2026
Administrative Procedure · Became law Mar 2026
Appropriation · Became law Mar 2026
Administrative Procedure · Became law Mar 2026
Developmentally Disabled Persons · Became law Mar 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Karr sits in the South Dakota State Senate
Karr is closer to the center than 33% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Curt Voight, Tamara Grove, Sue Peterson
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:01 PM ET
With Karr’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans91%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the South Dakota State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Karr’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Karr | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 9, 2026 | HB 1082: establish parameters for the reimbursement of school districts that provide free or… | No | Yes | Yes | Passed 20–14 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | HB 1245: authorize municipalities to establish a local funding mechanism for capital improvement… | No | Yes | Yes | Passed 19–15 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | HB 1138: require the licensure of non-medical home care agencies, and to provide a penalty therefor. | No | Yes | Yes | Passed 20–14 |
| Mar 4, 2026 | HB 1263: eliminate an exclusion from the definition of an agricultural equipment dealer. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 28–6 |
| Mar 3, 2026 | HB 1313: require education in prenatal human growth and development. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 31–3 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Karr was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | South Dakota State Senate, District 11 | Counting | R+0.4 | R+9.6 | −9.2 |
| 2024 | South Dakota State Senate, District 11 | Won | R+17.8 | R+9.6 | +8.2 |
| 2022 | South Dakota House of Representatives, District 11 | Won | D+0.6 | R+9.4 | −10.0 |
| 2020 | South Dakota House of Representatives, District 11 | Won | R+0.3 | — | — |
| 2018 | South Dakota House of Representatives, District 11 | Won | D+1.1 | — | — |
| 2016 | South Dakota House of Representatives, District 11 | Won | R+1.6 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: South Dakota Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $43.5K
- Spent
- $46K
- Cash
- $3K
Source: South Dakota Secretary of State filings through Oct 20, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 2:15 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Chris Karr for South Dakota State | Active |
Source: South Dakota Secretary of State filings through Oct 20, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 2:15 AM ET
Seats Karr has held
- South Dakota State Senate, District 11 · since 2024
- South Dakota House of Representatives, District 11 · 2016–2024
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Karr has run against
- Aaron Matson (D) · 2026 election
- Steve Natz (D) · 2024 election, won
- Brian Mulder (R) · 2022 election, won
- Mark Willadsen (R) · 2020 election, won
- Mark K. Willadsen (R) · 2016 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: South Dakota Secretary of State (unofficial)
How we know Karr
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/85616a5d-63b7-4794-8eb0-63ab7b121761
- Wikidata Q98398343
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET