Who won South Dakota in the 1972 presidential election?

Nixon (Republican) carried South Dakota in 1972, winning its 4 electoral votes.

How many electoral votes did South Dakota have in 1972?

South Dakota cast 4 electoral votes in the 1972 presidential election.

Did South Dakota vote for the national winner in 1972?

Yes. South Dakota backed Richard Nixon, who won the presidency that year.

Cold War RealignmentSD · 4 EV

1972

South Dakota: Nixon carries 4 EV.

South Dakota cast its 4 electoral votes for Nixon (Republican). National winner: Richard Nixon (Republican) — South Dakota voted with the national winner this cycle.

Reading the 1972 result in South Dakota

South Dakota backed Nixon (Republican) in the 1972 presidential election, casting 4 electoral votes for the ticket. South Dakota ended up on the winning side — Richard Nixon captured the White House that year.

It marked the 2nd consecutive election in which South Dakota backed the Republican party, a streak reaching back to 1968. The region divided — North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana joined South Dakota for the Republican ticket, while Minnesota did not. Across the 34 presidential elections South Dakota has taken part in, it has most often sided with the Republican party (29 times). The vote fell within the Cold War Realignment — Nixon, Reagan, and the Republican South.

In the national count, Richard Nixon took 520 of the 538 electoral votes, against George McGovern's 17. Richard Nixon led the national popular vote with 60.67% of the ballots cast.

The 1972 national map

South Dakota full history →