Happy Wednesday! Megan here.
Weather check: Still drizzly
This week, you'll find a whole bunch of election stuff because, well, that's a big deal. But I've also got a round-up of upcoming events as well as an early look at voter turnout (I'll dive deeper into it for Friday).
And now, news:
2026 SD ELECTION
S.D. has a new governor, senator and representative
But you guys know I don't really cover state or federal politics because I'm just one human, and this news outlet is just for Sioux Falls.
Thank goodness for South Dakota Searchlight and other incredible statewide publications that have this coverage for me.
Here's what you need to know, at a glance:
- Marty Jackley beat Nikki Gronli to become the state's next U.S. Representative – succeeding Dusty Johnson, who didn't seek re-election and ultimately lost his bid for governor. More from SD Searchlight here.
- Larry Rhoden held onto his seat as governor, beating challenger Dan Ahlers.
- Mike Rounds defeated independent candidate Brian Bengs.
It's also worth noting that Minnehaha County voted far more purple than the rest of the state. Among Minnehaha County voters, Gronli pulled 46% of the vote, Ahlers pulled 47%, and Bengs pulled 48%.
2026 SD ELECTION
Who won? South Dakota Legislature results
Simplified: Republicans very much retained their control of the state legislature, with a number of seats decided before Election Day on Tuesday. But, Democrats still came out strong in several races, flipping four seats in the state legislature for the Sioux Falls area, and possibly two more depending on if/how recounts shake out.
Here's a look, district-by-district, at who will be representing the Sioux Falls area in Pierre:
Megan Raposa
2026 SD ELECTION
How did the ballot measures shake out?
Simplified: South Dakota voters doubled down on citizenship requirements in the state constitution, but they rejected a proposed change to raise the threshold to pass a constitutional amendment. Here's a closer look at how all four ballot measures fared in Tuesday's election.
Why it matters
- All four of the ballot questions decided Tuesday were brought forward by the South Dakota legislature as proposed changes to the state constitution. Constitutional amendments are one form of direct democracy in the State of South Dakota.
- Voters passed two of the four measures Tuesday – one to more explicitly state that only citizens are eligible to vote, and another to establish a trust for the state's unclaimed property fund.
- Voters rejected proposals to repeal Medicaid expansion if the federal funding drops below 90%. They also rejected a proposed change to require 60% of voters to approve future constitutional amendments. That measure failed with 58% voting, "no."
Give me the full breakdown
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
One year in, how Dynamic Life PT is keeping Sioux Falls moving
This is a paid piece from Dynamic Life Physical Therapy.
Simplified: Kate and Don Barnes are both former athletes and tennis coaches, but as they've aged, some movements don't come as easily as they used to. They started seeing Trevor Bartlett, founder of Dynamic Life Physical Therapy, and now the couple is feeling less pain, moving more easily and starting to encourage their friends to seek physical therapy, too.
Why it matters
- Bartlett founded Dynamic Life PT last fall after earning his doctorate of physical therapy from Augustana University. In his first year, he's steadily grown his practice with the goal of helping each one of his clients improve their lives through improving their mobility.
- He's also been proactive about ensuring his business is engaged in the community – whether it's hosting workshops, partnering with other small businesses for events or simply helping people improve their mind-body connection.
- For Kate, who's dealt with rheumatoid arthritis for 30 years, and Don, who has been working on improving balance after falls a few years back, working with Bartlett has been not only physically healing, but also mentally and emotionally healing.
"As you get older you kind of lose who you are," Kate Barnes said. "And I think for Trevor, not only does he bring the health and wellness to Don's body, but I think he brings it to his mind ... To have someone work with you so that you can feel better and get the best out of your everyday – I think physical therapy is remarkable, honestly."
Tell me more
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Nearly half of registered voters cast a ballot. Statewide voter turnout in Tuesday's election was 49% with more than 310,000 ballots cast. Close to one third of those came from the Sioux Falls area with a combined 94,500 between Minnehaha and Lincoln County, which saw 48% and 51% turnout, respectively.
- That's a huge jump from the primary election in June, which saw 34% turnout statewide and only 27% turnout in Minnehaha County.
- Anderson retains auditor seat. Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson kept her job running local elections on Tuesday with 53% of the vote over challenger Curt Deedrich.
- New faces on County Commission. Incumbent Jen Bleyenberg held on to her Minnehaha County Commission seat, as well, and she'll be joined by two newcomers (though neither is a new face in local politics). The other two open commission seats will be filled by former state lawmaker Brent Hoffman, and former City Councilor Kenny Anderson, Jr.
EVENTS
Stuff to do: Nov. 4-10
- Get Goosebumps.* The Premiere Playhouse is staging "Goosebumps The Musical" Friday through Sunday at the Orpheum Theater. When eerie messages appear and a masked menace starts interrupting rehearsals, the young actors are forced to figure out if their auditorium is truly haunted or if it’s just an elaborate prank. Get your tickets here.
- Hang with leaders. The Sioux Falls Leadership Summit is kicking off 11 a.m. Thursday at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. The summit is a signature event for SME and features speakers, networking, and other opportunities to inspire and teach local business owners, leaders, entrepreneurs, and sales and marketing executives. Details and tickets here.
- Check out some crafts. Good Shepherd Lutheran is hosting a holiday crafters' market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Shop a variety of handmade goods and services from 20+ local vendors. Details here.
- Check out the home expo. Get some new ideas for your home at the Sioux Falls Home Expo this weekend at the Sioux Falls Arena Friday through Sunday. Details here.
- Play some bingo. Good beer, good company and bingo for a good cause. The Little Stone Church has teamed up with Woodgrain for bingo to support project Love Your Neighbor, which supports teachers and staff at Whittier Middle School. Details here.
- Catch the Levitt UpClose. The Levitt is bringing a new live music offering to Sioux Falls with the inaugural Levitt UpClose ticketed performance at the indoor DSU Community Room in the new Sweetman Atrium. Music starts at 8 p.m. Details and tickets here.
*Denotes a paid partnership
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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