How is Surprise Valley Township run?
Surprise Valley Township’s town government spent $0 on day-to-day services in the year to February 28, 2022, about $0 per resident.
What stands out about how Surprise Valley Township is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
White River School District 47-1
Surprise Valley Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Bad Nation Township, Blackpipe Township, Butte Township, Cody Township, Fairview Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $17,538 per pupil, $9,702 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
South Dakota districts overall: 50% local, 31% state, 19% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
No comparison or trend for Surprise Valley Township yet
The fair comparison uses 2022, the last year the Census Bureau counted every government (later years are a sample), and Surprise Valley Township’s 2022 operating figures are mostly a Census estimate, so they aren’t compared. It reported 2022 only, so there is no trend yet either. The next full count is 2027.
How Town Hall compares budgets →Who’s in charge in Surprise Valley Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Surprise Valley Township’s votes are counted by county
South Dakota reports official results by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Surprise Valley Township alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Mellette County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican58.6%434 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat38.5%285 votesOthers: 2.8% (21 votes).
Most votes in Mellette County: Donald J Trump
South Dakota: Trump 63.4%, Harris 34.2%
100% of Surprise Valley Township lies in Mellette County. Every 2024 race in Mellette County is on the county’s page.
Mellette County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Surprise Valley Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2South Dakota HouseState representatives
- 3South Dakota SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of South Dakota
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Surprise Valley Township compares with the towns next door
Surprise Valley Township’s 2022 figures are a Census estimate, so it isn’t placed among them. None of its neighbors reported 2022 figures. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Blackpipe Township | estimate | — |
| New Surprise Valley Township | estimate | — |
| Surprise Valley Township | estimate | — |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Surprise Valley Township’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Surprise Valley Township’s government
How much does Surprise Valley Township spend per resident?
About $0 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to February 28, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who runs Surprise Valley Township’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Surprise Valley Township yet.
How did Surprise Valley Township vote in 2024?
South Dakota counts votes by county and precinct, not by town, so there are no official results for Surprise Valley Township alone. Mellette County, where 100% of Surprise Valley Township lies, voted Trump 58.6%, Harris 38.5% for president; its page has every race.
Who represents Surprise Valley Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 26 (Tamara Grove) and State House District 26A (Eric Emery). The House district also covers 25 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Surprise Valley Township’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →