United States Senate

Republican incumbent John Thune ran for re-election.

United States House

Democratic incumbent Stephanie Herseth Sandlin ran for re-election.

Governor

Mike Rounds, the Republican Governor, was term-limited and did not seek re-election in 2010. Five candidates ran for the Republican nomination. The winner of the Republican primary faced Democratic State Senator Scott Heidepriem in the general election.

Other Statewide Officers

The offices of Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, 2010 South Dakota Attorney General election, Treasurer, Auditor, Commissioner of School and Public Lands, and Public Utility Commissioner were all up for election in 2010. Candidates for each party were nominated at the 2010 state conventions of each political party.

State Senate

All thirty-five seats of the South Dakota Senate were up for election in 2010.

State House of Representatives

All seventy seats in the South Dakota House of Representatives were up for election in 2010.

Judicial positions

Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 2010.

• South Dakota judicial elections, 2010 at Judgepedia

Ballot measures

Four measures were certified for the November 2 ballot:
1. Protects the right to secret ballots in federal, state, and union representation elections
2. Repeals the automatic annual transfer of $12 million from the trust fund to the state general fund
3. Extends smoking ban to apply statewide
4. Proposes legalization of medical marijuana

• South Dakota 2010 ballot measures at Ballotpedia

County officers

County offices including County Commissioners, County Auditors, County Registers of Deeds, and County Sheriffs were up for election in 2010.

Party representatives

In its closed primary election on June 8, party members elected delegates to the Republican Party State Convention and the Democratic Party State Convention.