Partisanship creeping further into Sioux Falls mayoral runoff

South Dakota governor, political parties getting involved in ‘nonpartisan’ June 23 election

Christine Erickson and Jamie Smith are vying to become the next Sioux Falls mayor as the remaining two candidates in a June 23 runoff election.

Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden and the South Dakota Democratic Party have joined a growing list of partisans inserting themselves into the Sioux Falls mayoral election.

An endorsement from Rhoden and a $10,000 contribution from Democrats continue to whittle away at the longstanding tradition of nonpartisan municipal elections in the state’s largest city.

Doeden crashes Sioux Falls mayoral debate as nonpartisan election standard keeps bending