How we decide
what's sensible
Every candidate on this guide is evaluated against the same five principles, using the same four-step research process, by the same editorial team. No money changes hands. No campaign picks its own grade.
The Five Principles
These five principles are the spine of every Sensible pick. They are also the five scores you see on every candidate page.
1. Local First
Is the candidate rooted in South Dakota? Do they live, work, and raise their family in the district they want to represent? Do they understand the land — and stand with the farmers, ranchers, and landowners who keep this state running?
2. Constitutional Backbone
Do they have a clear, written record of defending free speech, due process, and 2nd Amendment rights? Will they vote against regulations that burden law-abiding South Dakotans?
3. Affordability & Taxpayer Respect
Do they treat tax revenue as trust money rather than their own discretionary account? Will they fight for low taxes, balanced budgets, and policies that keep South Dakota affordable for the families building a life here?
4. Vision for South Dakota’s Future
Values without a vision won’t get us anywhere. Can this candidate articulate a real plan — not just a set of positions — for keeping young people and smart minds in South Dakota, growing our small towns, and leaving a stronger state for the next generation?
5. Sensible Temperament
Are they kind, approachable, and accountable to neighbors — not lobbyists? Do they build bridges across disagreements instead of deepening them? Can they work with people they don’t always agree with to get things done for South Dakota?
The Four-Step Review
Every candidate — incumbent or challenger, statewide or local — goes through the same four-step review before a place on the Sensible slate is considered.
- Voting record. For incumbents, every public vote on a bill affecting the five principles is pulled from the SD Legislative Research Council or the relevant clerk’s record. For challengers, prior public-service votes (school board, city council, county commission) are reviewed the same way.
- Public statements. Campaign website, social media, press interviews, and recorded candidate-forum remarks are reviewed for consistency with the record.
- Candidate questionnaire. Every candidate is offered the same twelve-question questionnaire covering the five principles plus district-specific issues. Responses are published unedited.
- Editorial deliberation. Our editors review all three inputs together. A place on the Sensible slate requires a unanimous editorial vote. A single “no” from any editor keeps a candidate in the Under Review column.
Three Statuses You’ll See
- Sensible — Unanimous editorial pick. Candidate meets all five principles with no material concerns in the record.
- Under Review — Research in progress, questionnaire pending, or unresolved concerns being researched.
- Not Recommended— Record or responses show a clear break with one or more principles. These candidates are listed for transparency — we’d rather you know who’s running than hide it.
What disqualifies a candidate
A candidate is moved to Not Recommended — even if the other principles check out — for any of the following:
- Voting for major tax increases not tied to a specific, named, temporary project.
- A campaign built on dividing neighbors rather than solving problems.
- No plan for South Dakota’s future — can’t articulate how they’d keep young people here or make life more affordable.
- Refusing to meet constituents or answer hard questions.
- Refusing to answer the questionnaire after two written requests.
- Any documented pattern of dishonesty in the public record.
How often the guide is updated
Weekly during the cycle. Daily in the final month. Every material change is dated in the About page changelog and announced in the newsletter.
How to challenge a grade
If you believe we got a grade wrong — as a candidate, a voter, or a campaign — file it through Correct the Guide. We review every challenge within 72 hours and publish our response.