Mapping the South Dakota Legislature

All state legislatures are unique. Each is rooted in a state’s political tradition and culture. A state legislature carries out its constitutional duties at a specific place— in a capital city and usually in a state capitol building. The setting of legislative activity is not simply a backdrop on a political stage, but rather, it is an integral component of a state’s political story. What makes the South Dakota Legislature’s story “one-of-a-kind” is the location at which it carries out its work. This article maps out that location, showing its distinctiveness among all state legislatures and providing a greater context for where South Dakota laws are made.