John Sjaarda
South Dakota State Representative, District 2 since 2022. Did not run for re-election in 2026; leaves office in January 2027. Won the 2026 race for South Dakota Legislative District 2.
- In office
- 3 yrs
- Since 2022
- Bills became law
- 45
- 123 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 0.8%
- With party
- 98%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +0.9
- Won 2024
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Appropriations
- Appropriations
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Agriculture and Horticulture · Became law Mar 2026
Abortion · Became law Mar 2026
Campaign Finance · Became law Mar 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Sjaarda sits in the South Dakota House of Representatives
Sjaarda is closer to the center than 20% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Julie Auch, Tony Kayser, Spencer Gosch
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:01 PM ET
With Sjaarda’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans98%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the South Dakota House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Sjaarda’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Sjaarda | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 2026 | HB 1138: require the licensure of non-medical home care agencies, and to provide a penalty therefor. | No | Yes | Yes | Failed 36–27 |
| Mar 30, 2026 | HB 1077: consider a cultivated-protein food product to be adulterated food. | Yes | Yes | No | Failed 32–32 |
| Mar 9, 2026 | SB 245: create the homeowner property tax reduction fund, and to transfer moneys to the homeowner… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 42–27 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | SB 159: revise requirements pertaining to the minimum age for marriage. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 40–27 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | SB 179: permit a court to commit a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for certain weapons offenses to… | No | Yes | No | Passed 42–25 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Sjaarda 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 Legislative District 2 | Won | — | R+29.8 | — |
| 2024 | South Dakota House of Representatives, District 2 | Won | R+0.9 | — | — |
| 2022 | South Dakota House of Representatives, District 2 | Won | D+2.8 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: South Dakota Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $18.9K
- Spent
- $16.5K
- Cash
- $13K
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.
| Sjaarda For SD State | Active |
Source: South Dakota Secretary of State filings through Oct 20, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 2:15 AM ET
Seats Sjaarda has held
- South Dakota House of Representatives, District 2 · since 2022
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Sjaarda has run against
- David Kull (R) · 2024 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: South Dakota Secretary of State (unofficial)
How we know Sjaarda
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/fe5950b8-b6e8-4a95-87b5-fd569f43b286
- Wikidata Q123383720
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET