Joyce Hazeltine

Iola Joyce Hazeltine, known as Joyce Hazeltine, (16 July 1935 - 30 September 2016) was an American politician who was Secretary of State of South Dakota from 1987 until 2003.

Early life and career Hazeltine was born in Pierre on 16 July 1935, and attended Fort Pierre High School. She attained a teaching qualification from Huron College and afterwards went into teaching. In the 1970s, she set up her own business that provided management services.

Political career Hazeltine first ran for elected office as the Republican candidate for Secretary of State of South Dakota in 1974, losing to the Democratic Party's Lorna Herseth. She then later worked as an official in the South Dakota Legislature, including as secretary of the Senate.

In 2002, she was term-limited and announced she would not be seeking re-election as Secretary of State and would instead seek to be the Republican candidate in the election for the Commissioner of School and Public Lands. However, she lost her bid for the Republican nomination to Alan Aker at the June Republican Party convention.

Personal life Hazeltine was married to her husband for 60 years and had three children.

She died of cancer on 30 September 2016, aged 81. Following her death, Governor Dennis Daugaard ordered all flags at the state capitol to be flown at half-mast in her honor.