Randy Seiler

On March 23, 2019, Seiler was elected Vice Chair of the South Dakota Democratic Party after former State Rep. Paula Hawks was elected party chair.

On October 23, 2019, Seiler became the chair of the South Dakota Democratic party as Hawks (and Executive Director Stacey Burnette) resigned amid party financial struggles that showed approximately $47,000.00 in debt.

Despite being a Democrat, Seiler was not asked to resign by the incoming Trump administration when it requested 46 other U.S. attorneys to resign. Despite being one of the United States Attorneys to not be asked to step down, Seiler, age 71 at the time, announced his retirement as the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota in December 2017, and was succeeded by Ron A. Parsons Jr.

Seiler has had a focus to strengthen law enforcement relations between Seiler's office and tribal governments. "The murder rate on Pine Ridge was among the worst in the nation in 2016, but today we are making progress." Seiler also took "a more proactive and aggressive stance" in 2017 by establishing “Walk-In Wednesday,” a program that opened an office in Pine Ridge staffed once a week with a federal prosecutor. Designed to allow citizens to more easily communicate with the office concerning crime on the reservation, inquiries about existing cases, or to obtain any information which might be sought be residents. Seiler was quoted in December 2017 as saying the program had led to half a dozen new referrals and investigations. He also believed it had made a serious improvement to relations between the U.S. Attorney's office and tribal governments. “I think it’s the best it’s ever been,” Seiler said. “I do believe there is a new sense and new generation of leadership on Pine Ridge.”

On March 12, 2015, Seiler was nominated by then President Barack Obama to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota. However, because there were no U.S. Senate confirmation hearings held by the nomination deadline, by law the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota can appoint someone to fill the vacancy, which Jeffrey L. Viken did by appointing Seiler on October 8, 2015. After his appointment, Seiler received bi-partisan support with Attorney General of South Dakota Marty Jackley saying, "I believe South Dakota is very fortunate to have a United States attorney with Randy’s experience, his respect and his ability to lead the U.S. attorney’s office with its important work."

Before his U.S. Attorney nomination, Seiler became the First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota in 2009. He was responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the United States Attorney's Office. He was the supervisor of the United States Attorney's branch office in Pierre and directly involved in all prosecutorial matters and decision-making. He also served as Tribal Liaison during this time, consulting and coordinating with tribal communities, victim advocates, and Tribal Justice officials and leaders to address any issues in the prosecution of major crimes in Indian Country.

He was appointed by then-Governor Dick Kneip to serve as the director of the South Dakota Division of Law Enforcement Assistance. During the last two of his four years in that position, he pursued a Master of Arts degree with an emphasis in Public Administration before devoting himself full-time to the University of South Dakota School of Law graduating in 1980.

Randolph John Seiler (born July 1, 1946) is an American attorney and veteran serving as the chair of the Democratic Party of South Dakota since 2019. He served as the 41st United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota from 2015 until his retirement in 2017. Seiler was previously the Deputy United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota.