Jeff Bathke of Mitchell has announced he’s running for State Representative in the 2024 District 20 House race.
Bathke started his career in the South Dakota Department of Corrections, spending over 17 years
as a Licensed Counselor inside the prison system and as a Private Research Analyst. For the last
ten years, Bathke has held the position of Emergency Manager and Planning & Zoning Director
for Davison County. Bathke joined the South Dakota National Guard in 1989 and currently
serves as the Command Sergeants Major in the Army Reserve, assigned to the 1-100th in
Knoxville, TN. He has completed two deployments, serving in several countries to include
Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, and Jordan.
Bathke states his experience in federal, state, and local government will give him the ability to
hit the ground running on some of the important issues facing District 20 and the great State of
South Dakota.
Bathke is a graduate of Plankinton High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and
a master’s degree in Administrative Studies from the University of South Dakota. He is also a
graduate of the US Army Sergeants Major Academy.
Bathke is married to his wife Michelle and have three adult children, two grandchildren, and two
more on the way. He is a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the
Moose, and the Davison County Search and Rescue Team.
“I’ve always been in the business of helping people. Serving District 20 will be a way to give
back to the communities and citizens of Jerauld, Sanborn, Miner and Davison Counties.”
Bathke came in third in a tight three-way race for the Republican nomination in 2022.