With voter registration closed, early voting underway and Election Day two weeks away, The Dakota Scout wants to help South Dakota voters and its subscribers differentiate between the candidates seeking their vote.

Reporter Joe Sneve asked Sioux Falls and surrounding area candidates running in contested races for the South Dakota Legislature two questions: Which law on the books right now they’d like to see go away?; and Who their favorite elected official currently serving anywhere in the country is?

Continue reading to see how candidates in your district responded.

Brandon-area voters to decide three-way race for state House in newly created District 2

Brandon and surrounding area residents for the first time ever will participate in a general election as District 2 voters when they head to the polls on Election Day.

South Dakota’s second legislative district for decades had comprised Brown, Clark, Hamlin and Spink counties. But the state’s rapid population growth in the Sioux Falls metropolitan area prompted lawmakers during last year’s decennial redistricting process to create a new district east of Sioux Falls and call it District 2.

Former Public Utilities Commissioner Steve Kolbeck won his GOP primary contest in June for the state Senate and is running unopposed. But District 2 voters do have a three-way contest in the race for state House, which features a pair of Republicans and one Democrat. The top two vote getters will earn a seat in the state Capitol in January.

Meet the candidates: District 2

Republicans retain District 9 Senate seat while three vie for two House seats

Republicans are guaranteed to retain control of the District 9 Senate seat after the Democratic Party failed to field a candidate in the race. Political newcomer Brent Hoffman won the seat by winning his primary race.

In the House, two Republicans and a Democrat are vying for the district’s two seats.

The district stretches from northwest Sioux Falls and includes Hartford.

Meet the candidates: District 9

Spouses running dual campaigns in District 10 while Healy seeks office in new district

Northeast Sioux Falls voters have a host of new candidates to choose from when they head to the polls to decide who to send to the South Dakota Capitol to represent them for the next two years.

While just one of the six candidates for state Senate and House are technically incumbents, redistricting has one candidate formerly of District 14 hoping to reclaim her spot in the House, while the incumbent senator is joined on the ballot by her husband, who is seeking a House seat.

Meet the candidates: District 10

A pair of incumbents hope to maintain seats in crowded District 11 contests

Southwest Sioux Falls voters have a pair of incumbents and a few new faces to choose from when they pick candidates to represent District 11 at the state Capitol for the next two years.

And because one of the two members of the House Representatives who had been their voice in Pierre reached his term limits, at least one new face will represent the district starting in January.

One Senate candidate will prevail, while the top two vote-getters in the four-way state House contest will be seated.

Meet the candidates: District 11

District 12 voters to seat new Senator, at least one new House member

Term limits have Sen. Blake Curd and Rep. Arch Beal ineligible to seek re-election to their respective District 12 seats.

And with just one incumbent lawmaker running for re-election in the legislative district and Curd opting not to run for a spot in the House, District 12 voters will have some new representation in Pierre come January.

Meet the candidates: District 12

Kolbeck, Hubbel on ballot in District 13 contest for state Senate

Southeast Sioux Falls voters next month will decide between a Republican incumbent or a two-time gubernatorial candidate and former lawmaker to represent them for the next two years in the South Dakota state Senate.

Sen. Jack Kolbeck hopes to avoid an upset in his bid for a fourth-term as an elected official in District 13, which entails the most southeast corner of South Dakota’s largest city. While Lora Hubbel, an independent who a decade ago served a single term as a Republican member of the state House of Representatives, hopes to earn a seat back at the state Capitol.

Meet the candidates: District 13

District 14 voters have full slate of Democrats, Republicans on 2022 ballot

Many legislative districts across South Dakota lack competitive contests for South Dakota House of Representatives or state Senate. That’s not the case in eastern Sioux Falls’ District 14.

Consisting of neighborhoods between Interstate 229 and Veterans Parkway and 18th Street down to 57th Street, the district has a full field of candidates competing for two positions in the state House and one in the Senate.

Meet the candidates: District 14

Smith's candidacy for governor means at least one new face from District 15 headed to Pierre

State Rep. Jamie Smith’s candidacy for governor means there’s guaranteed to be at least one new face representing Sioux Falls’ District 15 in Pierre come January.

Democrats have had the support of District 15 voters in the last two election cycles or more, and the three Republicans running in the north-central Sioux Falls district hope to unseat a pair of Democratic incumbents in addition to vying for Smith’s vacant spot.

Meet the candidates: District 15

Bolin seeks final Senate term in District 16

Longtime state lawmaker Jim Bolin is seeking a fourth Senate term, but he is opposed by one of four Independents seeking a legislative seat in this election. A Democrat is also on the ballot.

In the House, two Republicans and one Democrat are competing for two seats.

The southern Sioux Falls district includes Canton.

Meet the candidates: District 16

Four vying for two spots in South Dakota's redrawn District 25

Rural Minnehaha County and Moody County voters have a field of experienced public officials to choose from in their South Dakota House of Representatives contest when they head to the polls next month.

But legislative redistricting means they’ll see some new names and some familiar ones on their ballots, with the more northern county being moved into District 25 last year.

The top two vote getters will be sworn in for the 98th Legislative Session of the state of South Dakota in January.

Meet the candidates: District 25