Mayor Paul TenHaken casts deciding vote smothering debate on 'Stehly rule'

Former Mayor Mike Huether broke tie to pass 2017 ordinance that forced last month's runoff election

The political ghost of former City Councilor Theresa Stehly haunted this week’s Sioux Falls City Council meeting.

While the outspoken councilor’s name was never mentioned, she was alluded to several times as several councilors sought to reverse an ordinance enacted by a majority of the her City Council colleagues in 2017 intended it to make it harder for her to win a second term.

The change required councilors get at least 50 percent of the vote in an election, or face a runoff election with the second-highest voter getter. Prior, a candidate only needed a 34 percent plurality if there were more than two candidates in a race to avoid a runoff.

The measure, brought by former Councilor Rex Rolfing, who argued it would add more “legitimacy” to winning candidates, was controversial, and former Mayor Mike Huether had to break a tie vote.

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