Simplified: Fewer people are stepping up to lead, particularly when it comes to local government, Mayor Paul TenHaken said Thursday to a crowd of community and business leaders during the announcement of a new Forward Sioux Falls campaign. Here's what he had to say about the city's "leadership gap."

Why it matters

• The data backs up what TenHaken is saying. In the last Sioux Falls City Council election in 2024, two of the four available council seats went to uncontested candidates. And, the same year, there were 45 uncontested state legislative candidates across South Dakota in the general election (17 of whom were also uncontested during the primary), per reporting from South Dakota Searchlight.
• It's not easy holding a public office, TenHaken said, in fact, it's "very sucky." But if Sioux Falls wants to continue to grow with the support of efforts like Forward Sioux Falls, it's going to require "smart elected officials," he said.
• The mayor also called on the public to think more critically about who they're voting for and to ask candidates their position on things like tax-increment financing and other pro-business policies.

"Just because you have the same name you've seen on the ballot that you've seen for the last 10 years, think before you fill in the circle," TenHaken said. "Ask hard questions. Get to know who you're voting for."

Tell me more

TenHaken's comments also came in the wake of prominent gun violence incidents including a shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado and the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

"We are finding it very hard to get people who want to put their hand in the air and serve," TenHaken said. "Who would want to serve? Who would want to step up and lead, especially when you see things like what happened in the last 24 hours? Who would want to be bold and be a leader? And what that's creating is a big leadership gap that we have right now."

TenHaken went on to say that both the city and state need people in the next generation who are willing to serve – particularly advocating for folks who support pro-business policies.

Even those who aren't willing to run for office have a role to play if the people around them choose to run, he added.

"When they step up and decide to do that, you've gotta wrap your arms around them and support them," he said, "because this work is very hard. It's very sucky."

What happens next?

TenHaken's in the last stretch of his eight-year term, which means there'll be a new mayor in Sioux Falls by next summer.

There are also four City Council seats that will be up for grabs – including some in which candidates have already said they won't seek re-election (Sarah Cole), are term limited (Curt Soehl) or seeking another office at the state level (David Barranco).