James Bolin

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James Bolin
Image of James Bolin

Republican Party

Prior offices
Mayor City of Canton
South Dakota House of Representatives District 16
South Dakota State Senate District 16

Education

Bachelor's

Seattle Pacific University, 1973

Graduate

University of South Dakota, 1988

Personal
Religion
Evangelical Protestant
Contact

Personal Facebook

James Bolin (Republican Party) was a member of the South Dakota State Senate, representing District 16. He assumed office on January 10, 2017. He left office on January 14, 2025.

Bolin (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the South Dakota State Senate to represent District 16. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Biography

Bolin earned his B.A. from Seattle Pacific University in 1973 and his M.A. from the University of South Dakota in 1988. His professional experience includes working as an Athletic Director for Canton Public Schools from 1996 to 2007 and teaching at Canton Public Schools since 1987.[1]

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at:[email protected].

2023-2024

Bolin was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Bolin was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Bolin was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

South Dakota committee assignments, 2017
• Education, Chair
• State Affairs
• Transportation

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Bolin served on the following committees:

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Bolin served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Bolin served on the following committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Bolin served on the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2024

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2024

James Bolin was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.

2022

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for South Dakota State Senate District 16

Incumbent James Bolin defeated Donn Larson and Brian Burge in the general election for South Dakota State Senate District 16 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of James Bolin
James Bolin (R)
 
66.2
 
6,770
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Donn Larson (D)
 
25.5
 
2,610
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Brian Burge (Independent)
 
8.3
 
847

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 10,227
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Donn Larson advanced from the Democratic primary for South Dakota State Senate District 16.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for South Dakota State Senate District 16

Incumbent James Bolin defeated Nancy Rasmussen in the Republican primary for South Dakota State Senate District 16 on June 7, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of James Bolin
James Bolin
 
51.7
 
1,731
Image of Nancy Rasmussen
Nancy Rasmussen
 
48.3
 
1,615

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,346
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2020

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for South Dakota State Senate District 16

Incumbent James Bolin won election in the general election for South Dakota State Senate District 16 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of James Bolin
James Bolin (R)
 
100.0
 
9,965

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 9,965
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent James Bolin advanced from the Republican primary for South Dakota State Senate District 16.

2018

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2018

General election

General election for South Dakota State Senate District 16

Incumbent James Bolin defeated Elizabeth Merrigan in the general election for South Dakota State Senate District 16 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of James Bolin
James Bolin (R)
 
68.5
 
6,815
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Elizabeth Merrigan (D)
 
31.5
 
3,131

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 9,946
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for South Dakota State Senate District 16

Ted Curry advanced from the Democratic primary for South Dakota State Senate District 16 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Ted Curry

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for South Dakota State Senate District 16

Incumbent James Bolin advanced from the Republican primary for South Dakota State Senate District 16 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
✔
Image of James Bolin
James Bolin

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the South Dakota State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 29, 2016. Incumbent William Shorma (R) did not seek re-election.

Jim Bolin defeated Chad Skiles in the South Dakota State Senate District 16 general election.[2][3]

South Dakota State Senate, District 16 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jim Bolin 72.60% 8,274
     Democratic Chad Skiles 27.40% 3,122
Total Votes 11,396
Source: South Dakota Secretary of State


Chad Skiles ran unopposed in the South Dakota State Senate District 16 Democratic primary.[4][5]

South Dakota State Senate, District 16 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Chad Skiles  (unopposed)


Jim Bolin ran unopposed in the South Dakota State Senate District 16 Republican primary.[4][5]

South Dakota State Senate, District 16 Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jim Bolin  (unopposed)

2014

See also: South Dakota down ballot state executive elections, 2014

Bolin initially showed interest in running for election to the office of South Dakota Commissioner of School and Public Lands in 2014. In early October 2013, he announced he would not be running, stating, “Due to the fact that I was an early and vocal skeptic of the Common Core, I have been deluged with requests to comment on this subject from all over the state. I have concluded that I cannot run an effective statewide race and at the same time be heavily involved in efforts to oppose Common Core.”[6][7][8]

See also: South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 25, 2014. Jim Fedderson and Brian Shanks were unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbents David Anderson and Jim Bolin defeated Kevin D. Jensen in the Republican primary. Fedderson and Shanks withdrew after the primary. Anderson and Bolin were unopposed in the general election.[9][10][11]

South Dakota House of Representatives, District 16 Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJim Bolin Incumbent 42.1% 1,329
Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Anderson Incumbent 33.2% 1,049
Kevin D. Jensen 24.7% 778
Total Votes 3,156

2012

See also: South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2012

Bolin won re-election in the 2012 election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 16. Bolin advanced past the Republican primary on June 5 and won re-election in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[12][13]

South Dakota House of Representatives, District 16, General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngJames Bolin Incumbent 35.7% 6,760
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngPatty Miller Incumbent 26.9% 5,093
     Democratic Ann Tornberg 26.2% 4,969
     Democratic Stanley Jacobson 11.2% 2,128
Total Votes 18,950
South Dakota House of Representatives District 16 Republican Primary, 2012
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJames Bolin Incumbent 40.9% 864
Green check mark transparent.pngPatty Miller Incumbent 24.3% 513
Kevin D. Jensen 21.8% 459
Don Lantis 13% 274
Total Votes 2,110

2010

See also: South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2010

Bolin ran for re-election to one of two seats in District 16 of the South Dakota House of Representatives. Also running were Ed Nesselhuf (D) and Patty Miller (R).[14] Bolin and Patty Miller (R) won election in the November 2 general election.[15]

South Dakota State House, District 16 (2010)
Candidates Votes Percent
Green check mark transparent.png Patty Miller (R) 4,918 35.46%
Green check mark transparent.png Jim Bolin (R) 4,821 34.76%
Ann Tornberg (D) 4,130 29.78%

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

James Bolin did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

James Bolin did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2014

Bolin's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[16]

Promote Energy Independence

  • Excerpt: "Our society must escape the grasp of foreign oil suppliers. We must find and develop domestic sources of petroleum. Our energy policy must include increased domestic drilling and the additional use of petroleum in ANWR and other domestic locations."

Resist Obamacare

  • Excerpt: "Jim opposes Obamacare and has consistently spoken out against it and its implementation in our state. Our state should not be involved with its implementation and therefore he has opposed SB 38 and 43. Jim is also opposed to the possible expansion of Medicaid in our state as these increased costs will only crowd out money for other needed and vital programs for our state."

Maintain Our Pro-Business Climate

  • Excerpt: "Jim will work to preserve the pro-business climate in the state. He will oppose any and all attempts to impose an income tax in the state, corporate or individual. He is also opposed to a raise in the general state sales tax. He will work to maintain the property tax limitation that now governs the potential rise in property taxes each year."

Second Amendment

  • Excerpt: "Jim is a strong supporter of the 2nd amendment."

Life Issues

  • Excerpt: "Jim is a pro-life candidate. He believes that life begins at conception and should end with natural death. Jim believes that the case of Roe vs. Wade (1973) was wrongly decided."

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

James Bolin campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2022South Dakota State Senate District 16Won general$34,300 $0
2020South Dakota State Senate District 16Won general$6,420 N/A**
2018South Dakota State Senate District 16Won general$10,549 N/A**
2016South Dakota State Senate, District 16Won $17,558 N/A**
2014South Dakota House of Representatives, District 16Won $13,642 N/A**
2012South Dakota House of Representatives, District 16Won $15,760 N/A**
2010South Dakota House of Representatives, District 16Won $13,237 N/A**
2008South Dakota House of Representatives, District 16Won $7,829 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in South Dakota

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of South Dakota scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].


2024

In 2024, the South Dakota State Legislature was in session from January 9 to March 26.

Legislators are scored on their stances related to the Rapid City business community.
Legislators are scored on their votes related to business.
Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014


2013


2012


2011

2016 Republican National Convention

See also: Republican National Convention, 2016
James Bolin
Republican National Convention, 2016
Status:Delegate
State:South Dakota
Bound to:Donald Trump
Delegates to the RNC 2016
Calendar and delegate rules overview • Types of delegates • Delegate rules by state • State election law and delegates • Delegates by state

Bolin was a delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from South Dakota. All 29 delegates from South Dakota were bound by state party rules to support Donald Trump at the convention.[18] As of July 13, 2016, Trump had approximately 1,542 delegates. The winner of the Republican nomination needed the support of 1,237 delegates. Trump formally won the nomination on July 19, 2016.

Delegate rules

See also: RNC delegate guidelines from South Dakota, 2016 and Republican delegates from South Dakota, 2016

Delegates from South Dakota to the 2016 Republican National Convention were elected at a state convention in March 2016 and allocated after the South Dakota presidential primary election on June 7, 2016. All delegates from South Dakota were bound by state party rules on the first ballot at the national convention to support the candidate to whom they were allocated.

South Dakota primary results

See also: Presidential election in South Dakota, 2016
South Dakota Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes Delegates
Green check mark transparent.pngDonald Trump 67.1% 44,867 29
Ted Cruz 17% 11,352 0
John Kasich 15.9% 10,660 0
Totals 66,879 29
Source: The New York Times and South Dakota Secretary of State

Delegate allocation

See also: 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules
Logo-GOP.png

South Dakota had 29 delegates at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Of this total, three were district-level delegates (representing the state's single congressional district) and 23 served as at-large delegates. South Dakota's district and at-large delegates were allocated on a winner-take-all basis; the plurality winner of the statewide primary vote received all of the state's district and at-large delegates.[19][20]

In addition, three national party leaders (identified on the chart below as RNC delegates) served as bound delegates to the Republican National Convention. The RNC delegates were required to pledge their support to the winner of the state's primary.[19][20]

See also

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External links

Personal

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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ votebolin.com, "About Jim," accessed July 1, 2017
    2. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Candidate List," accessed August 21, 2016
    3. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Official Results State Canvas," accessed May 2, 2017
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 South Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 Primary Election Candidate List," accessed December 18, 2015
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 South Dakota Secretary of State, "State primary results," accessed June 7, 2016
    6. ↑ Keloland, "GOP Returning To Rapid City For 2014 Convention," accessed August 14, 2013
    7. ↑ Argus Leader, "Canton's Bolin to run for lands commissioner," accessed August 14, 2013
    8. ↑ Argus Leader, "Candidate quits race to fight Common Core," October 3, 2013
    9. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Current Candidates for Primary Election," May 2, 2014
    10. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Primary Election - Official Results," accessed June 4, 2014
    11. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Official General Election Results - November 4, 2014," accessed November 12, 2014
    12. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Official election results for 2012," accessed March 11, 2014
    13. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Official Primary Results," June 25, 2012
    14. ↑ South Dakota State Board of Elections, "South Dakota Secretary of State's official list of state candidates, 2010," accessed March 10, 2014
    15. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Official Primary and General Election Results, 2010," accessed October 10, 2014
    16. ↑ votebolin.com, "Official campaign website," accessed May 19, 2014
    17. ↑ American Clarion, "South Dakota Freedom Index 2012," accessed August 14, 2014
    18. ↑ South Dakota GOP, "SDGOP elects Delegates and Alternates for the Republican National Convention," March 21, 2016
    19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Republican National Committee, "2016 Presidential Nominating Process," accessed October 6, 2015
    20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 CNN.com, "Republican National Convention roll call vote," accessed July 20, 2016 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "rollcallvote" defined multiple times with different content

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    -     		South Dakota State Senate District 16
    2017-2025    		 Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    -     		South Dakota House of Representatives District 16
    2009-2017    		 Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    -     		Mayor City of Canton
    2007-2008    		 Succeeded by
    -


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