Simplified: Tuesday marked the deadline for candidates to submit signatures to get on the June 2 ballot in this year's municipal election. At the end of the day, Sioux Falls residents will have quite a few options for the next four years of city leadership – including a couple last-minute additions this week.

Why it matters

  • The next election will determine who leads the city through the next four (and potentially eight) years. That'll include decision-making on things like continued growth, public safety, and the future of downtown as Smithfield Foods moves to the northwest side of town.
  • Sioux Falls is also a much different city now than it was the last time the community elected a new mayor. Paul TenHaken took office in a city of about 190,000 people, and the next mayor is stepping at the helm of a nearly 225,000-person city. That's a difference of about the population of Aberdeen.
  • In addition, the city historically has seen low voter turnout in municipal elections – meaning as few as 1 in 4 registered voters determining who leads the city, per turnout results in the last mayoral election. The numbers are even lower for standalone city council races – with a turnout below 8% in 2024.

So, who's on the ballot?

There are five people vying to be the city's next mayor. Those include:

  • Joe Batcheller
  • Christine Erickson
  • David Zokaites
  • Jamie Smith
  • Greg Jamison

There are also 10 candidates looking to snag one of four open seats on the city council. Here's a breakdown:

At-Large A

  • James Oppenheimer
  • Vince Danh
  • Juliann Perrigo

At-Large B

  • Rich Merkouris
  • Samantha Scarlata

Central District

  • Bob Trzynka
  • Zak Okuwe
  • Zach DeBoer
  • Matthew McKinley
  • Tommy Kunz

Southeast District

  • Brady Kerkman
  • Michael A. Crane
  • Sara Pankonin

What happens next?

Election Day is June 2.

Stay tuned for tons more election coverage on all candidates from Sioux Falls Simplified. We've already sat down with each candidate and are putting together multimedia coverage to make it easy for you to feel smart and empowered at the ballot box.