# Ernie Otten Ernie Otten is a Republican member of the South Dakota Senate for district 6. - Party: Republican - Seat: South Dakota Senate, district 6 - Serving since: 2021-01-12 - Current term: SD 2025–26 session - Open States ID: ocd-person/dda7bd46-d880-453e-b830-269e79425a9a Source: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/dda7bd46-d880-453e-b830-269e79425a9a (America’s Political Pulse, Polarization Research Lab), data through 2026-10-27. Data under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: Westwood, Sean J., and Yphtach Lelkes. 2024. America's Political Pulse [data set]. ## Headline Otten reported $2,750 in the 2024 cycle, in the bottom 5% of State Senate Republicans (median $28.3K). ## Ideology (CSIP) CSIP score +0.09 (standard error 0.01), from 10 donors and 908 roll calls. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it, on one scale for every official. 15% of State Senate Republicans score lower. ## Votes (SD 2025–26 session) 607 roll calls. Attendance 99.8% (South Dakota Senate 96.6%). Party unity 79% (76%). 68 votes against the party majority. Key votes: - 2026-03-12 · voted yea · Do Pass · HB 1326 appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the current expenses of state… · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1326/ - 2026-03-12 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · HB 1051 revise property tax levies for school districts and to revise the state aid to general and special education formulas. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1051/ - 2026-03-12 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · SB 78 revise the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB78/ - 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · HB 1006 create a taskforce to study the creation of Indian medicaid managed care entities in the state. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1006/ - 2026-03-09 · voted nay · Do Pass Amended · HB 1241 modify the requirements for public notice of a hearing prior to a vote to impose an excess tax levy, and to modify requirements to refer an excess tax… · fail · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1241/ - 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass · HB 1140 permit a court to impose as a condition of probation, or parole in certain circumstances, treatment at a nonprofit entity awarded an alternative care… · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1140/ - 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass · HB 1160 repeal the medical marijuana oversight committee. · fail · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1160/ - 2026-03-09 · voted yea · Do Pass Amended · HB 1184 define man and woman throughout the state. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1184/ - 2026-03-09 · voted nay · Do Pass Amended · HB 1241 modify the requirements for public notice of a hearing prior to a vote to impose an excess tax levy, and to modify requirements to refer an excess tax… · fail · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1241/ - 2026-03-09 · voted nay · Do Pass Amended · HB 1082 establish parameters for the reimbursement of school districts that provide free or reduced-price meals to students. · pass · https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HB1082/ ## Legislation (SD 2025–26 session) Sponsored 41 bills: 34 reached committee, 25 passed one chamber, 18 passed both, 12 became law. Cosponsored 0. 70.7% of sponsored bills got out of committee (South Dakota Senate 78.2%; rank 26 of 34). Recent sponsored bills: - SC 822: honoring TKO’s Custom Catering and Capitol Cafe for outstanding service. (introduced, 2026-03-04) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SC822/ - HC 8018: celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the creation of the Legislative Research Council. (introduced, 2026-03-03) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HC8018/ - HC 8012: recognizing Captain Royce Williams for his exemplary military service and bravery in combat. (introduced, 2026-02-17) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/HC8012/ - SB 217: make an appropriation for a fire management officer position within the Department of Public Safety. (in committee, 2026-02-26) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB217/ - SC 806: commending and honoring the 2025-2026 Outstanding School Administrators of South Dakota: David Olson, Meade, Middle School Principal; Kendra Becker, Redfield,… (introduced, 2026-02-03) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SC806/ - SC 805: commending and honoring the 2024-2025 Outstanding School Administrators of South Dakota: Dr. Jeff Danielsen, Watertown, School Superintendent; Bo Beck,… (introduced, 2026-02-03) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SC805/ - SB 121: transfer moneys and make an appropriation for the replacement of the Richmond Lake dam and spillway and to declare an emergency. (became law, 2026-03-30) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB121/ - SB 120: make an appropriation for the economic development of South Dakota. (passed one chamber, 2026-03-09) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB120/ - SB 119: create the capitol restoration fund and to transfer moneys thereto. (became law, 2026-03-30) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SB119/ - SCR 602: celebrating the sister-state relationship with Taiwan. (in committee, 2026-01-29) https://openstates.org/sd/bills/2026/SCR602/ ## Campaign money (2024 cycle) Itemized receipts $2,750 (State Senate Republicans median $28.3K). 100% of itemized individual money came from in state. Aggregates only; no individual donors. ## Links - Official site: https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4540/Detail - Campaign site: https://ottenforsouthdakota.com/ - X: https://x.com/Ernie_Otten - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ernie.otten - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErnieOttenForSouthDakota/ Full profile, with every chart and the methods: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/dda7bd46-d880-453e-b830-269e79425a9a