March 30, 2026

South Dakota state Sen. Tom Pischke charged with forging 16 GOP nomination forms to shift county party control

On or about March 30, 2026, 16 forged nomination forms for Minnehaha County Republican precinct-committee positions were filed with the county auditor, listing residents as candidates without their knowledge or signatures. A sheriff's investigation citing DNA on the envelopes, video of the drop-off, and handwriting analysis identified state Sen. Tom Pischke, who was charged on June 23, 2026 with two felony counts of offering a false or forged instrument for filing. Precinct-committee members help choose county party leadership and serve as delegates who nominate the party's statewide candidates.

Jurisdiction: South Dakota
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Abuses documented

Actors

Tom Pischke (South Dakota State Senator)

On or about March 30, 2026 -- one day before South Dakota's candidate-filing deadline for the June 2, 2026 primary -- 16 forged nominating forms for Minnehaha County Republican Party precinct-committeeman and committeewoman positions were submitted to the county auditor's office in Sioux Falls. The forms listed residents as candidates who had not authorized or signed them; most told investigators they did not know their names had been used, and signature comparisons matched none of the purported candidates. A Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office investigation -- relying on handwriting analysis, video of a vehicle dropping mail at the Dell Rapids post office matched by partial license plate to a vehicle registered to him, and DNA on the envelopes identifying him as the major contributor -- named state Sen. Tom Pischke (R-Dell Rapids) as the person responsible.

Pischke was charged on June 23, 2026 with two felony counts of offering a false or forged instrument for filing, each punishable by up to two years in prison, and turned himself in the same day. Precinct-committee members vote at county party meetings and serve as delegates to the state Republican convention, which selects the party's nominees for statewide constitutional offices; a county party official said the scheme appeared aimed at shifting the balance of power within the Minnehaha County GOP.

Updates

2026-06-23 -- Pischke stepped back from state party duties [4]

The South Dakota Republican Party announced that Pischke had agreed to temporarily relinquish his roles as Region 1 Director and Minnehaha County State Committeeman until the charges are resolved. He did not resign his state Senate seat.

2026-07-07 -- Pischke pleaded not guilty; prosecutors signaled a likely plea deal [3]

At his initial appearance Pischke pleaded not guilty. Minnehaha County State's Attorney Daniel Haggar said he believed the parties had reached a plea deal though it was not finalized, and a preliminary hearing was tentatively set for August.

Why we recorded this

Free and fair elections depend on the integrity of the processes that decide who appears on ballots and who chooses a party's nominees. Filing forged nomination forms that put people forward as candidates without their consent counterfeits election materials and manipulates the internal party contests that feed the selection of statewide nominees. This entry records the felony charges that a sitting state legislator filed forged candidate documents to seize control of a county party's nominating apparatus, corrupting a foundational layer of the electoral system.

Sources

South Dakota Republican state senator charged with felony over false candidate forms — South Dakota Searchlight primary accessed July 14, 2026
State senator and GOP delegate faces felony election fraud charges — South Dakota Public Broadcasting secondary accessed July 14, 2026
Dell Rapids Republican lawmaker may get plea deal in election fraud case — South Dakota Searchlight primary accessed July 14, 2026
SDGOP Press Release: Tom Pischke steps back from party duties — South Dakota Republican Party (via South Dakota War College) primary accessed July 14, 2026