1984
Reading the 1984 result in South Dakota
South Dakota backed Reagan (Republican) in the 1984 presidential election, casting 3 electoral votes for the ticket. That placed South Dakota with the eventual winner: Ronald Reagan went on to take the presidency, and South Dakota was part of his column.
South Dakota stayed in the Republican column for the 5th straight cycle, extending a run that began in 1968. The region divided — North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana joined South Dakota for the Republican ticket, while Minnesota did not. Over its 34 recorded presidential cycles, South Dakota has backed the Republican party more than any other — 29 times in all. The vote fell within the Cold War Realignment — Nixon, Reagan, and the Republican South.
Nationally, Ronald Reagan finished with 525 of the 538 electoral votes to Walter Mondale's 13. Ronald Reagan led the national popular vote with 58.77% of the ballots cast.
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