Black Hills residents are actively engaged in shaping their communities. As citizen policymakers, they serve on planning commissions, school boards, city councils, county commissions and tribal councils. They make their voices heard in meetings, legislative crackerbarrels, forums and the media. They campaign and vote in elections to choose leaders and decide policy matters.
The Black Hills region encompasses seven of the state’s 66 county governments, as well as several dozen cities and towns. Cities provide police and fire protection, as well as parks and recreation. They pave and repave the streets, collect the trash, deliver water, drain the sewage. At the same time, they regulate building, development, parking and traffic. The rules that govern what cities can and cannot do are included under Article X of the Constitution of South Dakota.
Crime Statistics
Election campaigns in the Black Hills reflect the history and culture of the region. A pattern of strong support for the Republican Party stretches back to the years before statehood. At the time of the November, 2010 election, 49.6 percent of the region’s voters were registered as Republicans, 31.3 percent as Democrats and 18.6 percent as Independents.
Numerous charitable organizations help improve the quality of life for Black Hills residents. In fact, there are more than 900 nonprofit groups in Western South Dakota. They include organizations that provide food, shelter and other services to the needy, as well as groups that focus on business, veterans needs, education, the arts, health, sports, the environment and many other areas of interest. Nearly every Black Hills resident benefits in some way from these groups.
GiveBlackHills.org
Residents of the Black Hills region participate in civic dialogue and community improvement in many ways. They volunteer for non-profit organizations, contribute to community projects and help their neighbors.
Men and women who have served and are serving in the nation’s armed forces play a major role in the culture of South Dakota and the Black Hills. Nearly one in ten residents of the state is a veteran. Federal expenditures for veterans in South Dakota exceed half a billion dollars.
