Some South Dakota legislative candidates sign Data Center Accountability Pledge, urge other candidates to do so as well

A group of 19 legislative candidates from across South Dakota have signed what they call the “Data Center Accountability Pledge”– or D-CAP.

District 9 Democratic House Candidate Amanda Potter is one of the organizers. She said if elected, each signer will work to develop protections related to data centers, and will oppose giving them tax incentives to build in the state

Potter said those signing the D-CAP have also promised to reject campaign donations from data center groups.

Among the candidates signing the pledge is District 26B House candidate Lewis GrassRope. District 26B covers parts of Brule, Lyman, Hughes, Hyde, Jones and Buffalo Counties.

The key commitments of the pledge are:

• Day zero action: Candidates pledge to begin work on protections for South Dakotans and their communities immediately upon election, before the 2027 legislative session begins.

• Rejection of financial interests: Candidates pledge that they have rejected and will reject campaign donations or other support from groups aligned with data centers. Candidates will not support sales tax waivers or other tax incentives to promote data center construction.

• Ongoing transparency during session: Candidates will provide clear communication regarding any legislative action regarding data centers on the D-CAP website (www.dcapsd.org).

• Defense of local control: Candidates will oppose any bills that weaken local governments’ ability to regulate, pause or ban data center development in their own communities.

D-CAP signers:

• Lewis GrassRope, Candidate HD-26B

• Amanda Potter, Candidate, HD-9 (Sioux Falls/Hartford)

• Jeff Shelton, Candidate, SD-32 (Rapid in City)

• Aaron Matson, Candidate, SD-11 (Sioux Falls)

• Ali Rae Horsted, Candidate HD-13 (Sioux Falls)

• Sonja Mentzer, Candidate HD-11 (Sioux Falls)

• Erin Ronayne Rudner, Candidate HD-3 (Aberdeen)

• Tim Rhead, Candidate HD-16 (Canton)

• Erinn Williams, Candidate HD-14 (Sioux Falls)

• Joe Zweifel, Candidate SD-12 (Sioux Falls)

• Leslie Gerrish, Candidate HD-17 (Clay County and Union County)

• Karen Springer, Candidate HD-18 (Yankton County and Wakonda)

• Austin Brunick, Candidate HD-17 (Union and Clay County)

• Austin Wolf, Candidate HD-6 (Lincoln County)

• Emelia Enquist, Candidate HD-4 (Clark, rural Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, and Roberts Counties)

• Heidi Hora, Candidate HD-19 (Bon Homme, Hanson, Hutchinson, McCook, Turner Counties)

• Morgan Plucker, Candidate HD-31 (Lawrence County)

• Kathleen Brudvig, Candidate HD-10 (Sioux Falls)

• Celestine Stadnick, Candidate SD-27 (Oglala Lakota, Bennett, Jackson, Pennington Counties)

News partner KELO AM contributed to this story.