Should South Dakota be divided into two different states?

[Panda Express]

Looking at the results of the primary, it is clear South Dakota is divided by West vs East. They are way different. It would be easy to divide the cleave the state into two. So we could have East South Dakota and West South Dakota. Good idea?

[Nyvin]

Looking at the results of the primary, it is clear South Dakota is divided by West vs East. They are way different. It would be easy to divide the cleave the state into two. So we could have East South Dakota and West South Dakota. Good idea?

Doesn't South Dakota already have one of the smallest populations in the country though?     Those would be two teeny tiny little states people-wise

[Ebsy]

Um, no, because South Dakota is a Republican gerrymander to begin with. The Dakotas should have been 1 state.

[Boston Bread]

I would support having East & West Dakota instead of North & South.

[cwt]

I would support having East & West Dakota instead of North & South.

This.  The cultural divide in that part of the country is all E-W.  You might even want to split Nebraska and Kansas E-W instead of N-S, too.

Totally different part of the country, but Oregon and Washington would work better E-W instead of N-S, as well.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

I would support having East & West Dakota instead of North & South.

This.  The cultural divide in that part of the country is all E-W.  You might even want to split Nebraska and Kansas E-W instead of N-S, too

2012 results from East Dakota:

and West Dakota:

Don't have the %s, just a proof of concept.

[Gass3268]

I would support having East & West Dakota instead of North & South.

This.  The cultural divide in that part of the country is all E-W.  You might even want to split Nebraska and Kansas E-W instead of N-S, too

2012 results from East Dakota:

and West Dakota:

Don't have the %s, just a proof of concept.

This looks more profound in 2008 however.

[TDAS04]

Nah, we would lose much of our variety.

Anyway, Obama did come within 3 points of winning East River in 2008 while losing West River by 18 I believe.

[RINO Tom]

As an Illinoisan, the concept of dividing existing states into two just because they have different areas in them is ... infuriating.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I support merging the Dakotas and making Puerto Rico a state instead. How about that?

[Nyvin]

I support merging the Dakotas and making Puerto Rico a state instead. How about that?

It's kinda nuts to think that you could combine Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota into 1 state....and it would STILL have a smaller population than Puerto Rico...

[DavidB.]

I support merging the Dakotas and making Puerto Rico a state instead. How about that?

Democrats would agree.

[Dr. Arch]

I support merging the Dakotas and making Puerto Rico a state instead. How about that?

Agreed 100% provided that a new and clean referendum supports such.

I support merging the Dakotas and making Puerto Rico a state instead. How about that?

It's kinda nuts to think that you could combine Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota into 1 state....and it would STILL have a smaller population than Puerto Rico...

Yep, and all those Americans with no real representation in Congress or the ability for vote for the President.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

No, because it's already one of the smallest states population-wise.

[Joe Republic]

So we could have East South Dakota and West South Dakota. Good idea?

As others have said, the state is already too small to split, so instead I propose the following very simple solution:

First, follow your plan and divide the state into East South Dakota and West South Dakota.  Then, cede West South Dakota into North Dakota (also Bernie country), and rename it Northwest Dakota.  It'd be too much trouble by this point to change East South Dakota's name to Southeast Dakota, so just leave it as is.  Easy.

[Kingpoleon]

Why not merge North Dakota into these states? Then it can be East and West Dakota, divided by the Missouri River.

[ElectionsGuy]

I support merging the Dakotas and making Puerto Rico a state instead. How about that?

Definitely.

[136or142]

I would support dividing South Dakota along a north-south line.

Then we'd have North South Dakota, and South South Dakota.

[Shameless Lefty Hack]

I think it's fine to have states with divergent populations.

However, Puerto Rico should be a state, the pacific territories should be a state (though they'd be by far the smallest), and the non-governmental areas of DC should be merged into MD and VA.

[Gass3268]

I think it's fine to have states with divergent populations.

However, Puerto Rico should be a state, the pacific territories should be a state (though they'd be by far the smallest), and the non-governmental areas of DC should be merged into MD and VA.

No one in DC or MD/VA want this.

[jimrtex]

I think it's fine to have states with divergent populations.

However, Puerto Rico should be a state, the pacific territories should be a state (though they'd be by far the smallest), and the non-governmental areas of DC should be merged into MD and VA.

No one in DC or MD/VA want this.

The concession of DC by Maryland is conditional on it being the capital. Move the capital and D.C. automatically reverts to Maryland.

[Figueira]

I think it's fine to have states with divergent populations.

However, Puerto Rico should be a state, the pacific territories should be a state (though they'd be by far the smallest), and the non-governmental areas of DC should be merged into MD and VA.

No one in DC or MD/VA want this.

The concession of DC by Maryland is conditional on it being the capital. Move the capital and D.C. automatically reverts to Maryland.

It can still be the capital if it's a state.

[Boston Bread]

I would support merging DC with Wyoming.

[ElectionsGuy]

If we split it like this...



East ND Pop: 377,827
West ND Pop: 294,764

East ND Vote (D, R, O): 89,548 - 84,258 - 3,502
West ND Vote (D, R, O): 51,855 - 84,629 - 2,823

East SD Pop: 547,248
West SD Pop: 266,932

East SD Vote (D, R, O): 123,037 - 133,012 - 5,255
West SD Vote (D, R, O): 47,887 - 70,042 - 2,740

East Dakota (925,075)

McCain: 217,270 (49.5%)
Obama: 212,585 (48.5%)

West Dakota (561,696)

McCain: 154,671 (59.5%)
Obama: 99,742 (38.4%)

[Goldwater]

Huh, interesting. I imagine East Dakota could potentially elect a Senator or something that is a Democrat.