About Secretary Monae L. Johnson
Monae L. Johnson is South Dakota's 30th Secretary of State.
 | Leadership and public service Serving South DakotaSecretary Johnson won the November 8, 2022 General Election and was appointed on December 5, 2022 to fill the vacancy before her elected term began. She was sworn in during the January 7, 2023 inaugural festivities to serve her four-year term. Before becoming Secretary of State, Johnson served for 4.5 years under Secretary Chris Nelson and 3.5 years under Secretary Shantel Krebs. Secretary Johnson is a member of the National Association of Secretaries of State, a nonpartisan organization supporting secretaries of state across the country. |
A lifelong South Dakotan
South Dakota roots and family
Johnson is a fourth-generation South Dakotan. She was born in Brookings, raised in Rapid City, and now resides in Pierre.
She is the mother of six children, including three adopted Native American children. Two are enrolled members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and one is an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribe. She has five grandchildren.
Business and volunteer experience
Community involvement
Johnson is an entrepreneur who started three family businesses in South Dakota. Her volunteer and civic service has included the Zonta Club of the Black Hills, Rapid City Women's Network, Rapid City Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, Exchange Clubs, and Optimist Clubs.
She served as president of the Cen-Kota Republican Women, president of the Meade County Republican Women, and first vice president of the South Dakota Federation of Republican Women. She also served as South Dakota Area President of Aglow International and visited Israel twice with the organization.
Secretary Johnson is a longtime member of the National Rifle Association and enjoys fishing and hunting. She harvested a six-by-six bull elk in the Black Hills on October 1, 2001, and is also a state trapshooting champion.
Work of the office
Programs and initiatives
Secretary Johnson created the Gladys Pyle Award for excellence in young voter registration. The program launched during National Voter Registration Day in September 2023 and recognizes local high schools and colleges that host voter-registration drives.
In December 2023, Johnson signed a memorandum of understanding with Dakota Wesleyan University. The first quarterly economic report was released in May 2024 using business-filing data to show trends useful to the South Dakota business community.
Johnson advocated for post-election audits. South Dakota county auditors submitted the first audit reports following the June 4, 2024 primary election and conducted audits again after the November 5, 2024 general election.
National and state service
Professional service
Secretary Johnson is a board member of the Zonta Club of Pierre/Fort Pierre and remains active in the National Association of Secretaries of State. She hosted the 2026 NASS summer conference in Rapid City in July 2026.
National Association of Secretaries of State Current elected officials
A connection to military service
Military families
Secretary Johnson's father was a test pilot and served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. He later retired at Ellsworth Air Force Base as a lieutenant colonel.
One of her sons graduated from the United States Military Academy and served as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military families remain especially important to her.
South Dakota has a great motto: “Under God the People Rule.” It is an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of South Dakota as their Secretary of State.