1936 South Dakota gubernatorial election

{{Short description|none}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1936 South Dakota gubernatorial election

| country = South Dakota

| flag_year = 1909

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1934 South Dakota gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1934

| next_election = 1938 South Dakota gubernatorial election

| next_year = 1938

| election_date = November 3, 1936

| image_size = x150px

| image1 = Leslie Jensen.jpg

| nominee1 = Leslie Jensen

| party1 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 151,659

| percentage1 = 51.60%

| image2 = Tom Berry.jpg

| nominee2 = Tom Berry

| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 142,255

| percentage2 = 48.40%

| map_image = 1936 South Dakota gubernatorial election results map by county.svg

| map_size = 250px

| map_caption = County results
Jensen: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}

Berry: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}

| title = Governor of South Dakota

| before_election = Tom Berry

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = Leslie Jensen

| after_party = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{ElectionsSD}}

The 1936 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1936. Incumbent Democratic Governor Tom Berry ran for re-election to a third term, the first Governor of South Dakota to do so.{{cite news|date=February 18, 1936|title=Governor Berry Announces Will Seek 3rd Term: Announcement Which Has Agitated Political Discussions For Weeks Is Made Today|work=Argus Leader|location=Sioux Falls, S.D.|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/93594301/|access-date=June 13, 2021}} Berry was challenged by Republican Leslie Jensen, the former Collector of Internal Revenue for the state of South Dakota.{{cite news|date=February 6, 1936|title=Leslie Jensen Is Candidate for Governor|work=Lead Daily Call|location=Lead, S.D.|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/93593757/|access-date=June 13, 2021}} Both Berry and Jensen won their primaries uncontested and advanced to the general election.{{cite news|date=April 6, 1936|title=Entry Into Primary Election Contest for Nominations Is Completed; All Petitions In|work=Lead Daily Call|location=Lead, S.D.|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/93591021/|access-date=June 13, 2021}} Some drama surrounded the potential candidacy of Democratic State Auditor George O'Neill as an independent candidate for Governor or, in the alternative, his cross-party endorsement of Jensen; after initially announcing his campaign and hedging, O'Neill dropped out of the race in September and endorsed the Democratic ticket in the state, including Berry.{{cite news|date=September 25, 1936|title=O'Neill Now To Support Democrats|work=Lead Daily Call|location=Lead, S.D.|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/93598043/|access-date=June 13, 2021}}

The primary issue during the campaign was the drought caused by regional dust storms as part of the Dust Bowl. Republicans attacked Governor Berry's administration for providing inadequate relief to South Dakotan farmers.{{cite news|date=July 15, 1936|title=Jensen Scores Relief Program|work=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, S.D.|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/350606532|access-date=June 13, 2021}} But Berry's willingness to break the state's unwritten political tradition by seeking a third term was apparently controversial{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}. In the closing days of the campaign, Herbert E. Hitchcock, the Chairman of the South Dakota Democratic Party, emphasized how unwilling Berry had been to seek a third term: "Tom Berry was forced into running for a third term by Democrats and Republicans alike. I, among others, insisted that he lay aside his personal wishes and become a candidate because I felt and thoughts of others felt he owed it to the state of South Dakota to do so."{{cite news|date=October 31, 1936|title=Hitchcock Says Berry Drafted: His Third-Term Argument Of Republicans; Praises Record Of Governor|work=Evening Huronite|location=Huron, S.D.|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/24546016/|access-date=June 13, 2021}}

However, despite Berry's wide victories in 1932 and 1934, he narrowly lost re-election to Jensen. However, President Franklin Roosevelt carried the state by a wide margin, and Democratic Senator William J. Bulow narrowly won re-election.