With financial help from the national Libertarian Party, the South Dakota Libertarian Party is about to begin its petition drive to regain its status as a qualified party, which it last held in 2006. Currently there are no qualified parties on the ballot in South Dakota except for the Democratic and Republican Parties. The Constitution Party had been on the ballot in 2008 and 2010, but did not poll as much as 2.5% for Governor in 2010, so went off the ballot.

When a party petitions in South Dakota in a presidential year, it is also automatically on the ballot for the following midterm year, so the 2012 Libertarian petition, if successful, will also give the party status in 2014.

The Green Party has never been ballot-qualified in South Dakota.