South Dakota Governor Voter Guide: Rhoden and Ahlers on Property Taxes and Education
Two candidates are on the ballot for governor of South Dakota in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election: Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden, the incumbent, and Democrat Dan Ahlers, a former state legislator and small-business owner from Dell Rapids.
The Digital Free Press voter guide video for this race compares the two candidates on property taxes and education. Here is where each candidate stands, based on the video and what the candidates said at their Sept. 28 debate on South Dakota Public Broadcasting, as reported by South Dakota Searchlight.
Larry Rhoden (Republican)
Rhoden, a western South Dakota rancher, became governor in early 2025 after serving as lieutenant governor under former Gov. Kristi Noem, according to South Dakota Searchlight.
On property taxes, the video says Rhoden calls the 2026 law the largest property tax cut in state history, lowering the average homeowner's bill by 36%. "This year we passed the largest property tax cut in the history of the state," Rhoden said at the debate. Searchlight reported that one new law diverts an estimated $110 million or more in sales tax revenue into a fund to offset property taxes for education once a 2023 sales tax cut sunsets, while $56 million in general budget funds lowers property taxes right away. Another lets counties add a 0.5% sales tax to cut homeowners' property taxes. Rhoden said the changes would also help renters buy a first home and shift part of the tax burden to tourists.
On education, the video says Rhoden points to state education funding rising above what the funding formula requires and to teacher pay rising by about $10,000. He made the same points at the debate, saying teacher salaries have risen by about $10,000 in recent years.
Dan Ahlers (Democrat)
Ahlers served six years in the South Dakota House after first winning a seat at 32, and opened a video rental business in Dell Rapids in 1999, according to South Dakota Searchlight.
On property taxes, the video says Ahlers calls the new law a tax shift to sales taxes and wants more state education money and a new way to assess residential property. "It is a tax shift," Ahlers said at the debate. "It shifts it from property tax to sales tax at the county level." He said moving from property taxes to sales taxes can leave renters and lower-income residents behind, and that the state should bolster existing relief programs for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. He also said more state money for schools would reduce how much local governments must raise through property taxes.
On education, the video says Ahlers argues that teachers are leaving the profession entirely and that the state should prioritize teacher pay. At the debate, he said teacher retention remains a problem, with teachers not just leaving for better pay in other states but "leaving the profession entirely."
Where to Follow the Candidates
Larry Rhoden: @larryrhodensd on X. Dan Ahlers: @ahlers_dan on X and @danahlersforsd on Instagram.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. This guide is for information only; The Digital Free Press does not endorse any candidate.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: South Dakota Searchlight, "South Dakota governor candidates clash on data centers, education, economic development" (Sept. 28, 2026): https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2026/09/28/south-dakota-governor-candidates-clash-on-data-centers-education-economic-development/ ; South Dakota Searchlight, "Dan Ahlers: Democrat seeking South Dakota's top office says he knows how to win uphill battles" (Oct. 9, 2026): https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2026/10/09/dan-ahlers-democrat-seeking-south-dakotas-top-office-says-he-knows-how-to-win-uphill-battles/
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