Jim Mehlhaff
South Dakota State Senator, District 24 since 2022. Ran in 2 elections between 2022 and 2024, winning 2. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 3 yrs
- Since 2022
- Bills became law
- 25
- 62 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 0.8%
- With party
- 80%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
- Elections
- 3
- 2022–2026
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Legislative Procedure · vice chair
- State Affairs · chair
- Bonding
- Commerce and Energy
- Executive Board
- Judiciary
- Legislative Procedure
- Rules Review
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Administrative Procedure · Became law Mar 2026
Construction Standards · Became law Mar 2026
Appropriation · Became law Mar 2026
Fees · Became law Mar 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Mehlhaff sits in the South Dakota State Senate
Mehlhaff is closer to the center than 55% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Ernie Otten, Amber Hulse, Larry Zikmund
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:01 PM ET
With Mehlhaff’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans80%
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: Mehlhaff’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Mehlhaff | 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… | Yes | 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. | Yes | 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 Mehlhaff 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 24 | Won | — | R+47.6 | — |
| 2024 | South Dakota State Senate, District 24 | Won | — | R+47.6 | — |
| 2022 | South Dakota State Senate, District 24 | Won | — | R+37.7 | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: South Dakota Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $42.6K
- Spent
- $35.3K
- Cash
- $21.3K
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.
| JimMehlhaff for District 24 Senate State | Active |
Source: South Dakota Secretary of State filings through Oct 20, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 2:15 AM ET
Seats Mehlhaff has held
- South Dakota State Senate, District 24 · since 2022
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Mehlhaff
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/c8ca77f5-97e7-4604-aec3-fe4ee5e7dc31
- Wikidata Q128388618
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET