Sioux Falls mayoral candidates each earn single vote from provisional ballots, auditor confirms
Race too close to call as both candidates concede it's heading to recount
A handful of provisional ballots that weren’t included in Tuesday’s night’s mayoral election tally won’t be a deciding factor in determining who won the race between Jamie Smith and Christine Erickson.
Sioux Falls City Clerk Jermery Washington confirmed to The Dakota Scout on June 24 that two of five provisional ballots qualified to be opened for the contest between Erickson and Smith, the latter of whom was down by a mere two votes.
The other three ballots were rejected after officials determined the voters did not reside within city limits.
Winner of Sioux Falls mayoral race won't be decided for weeks
There’s a lot more to be done than just reviewing five more ballots before the Sioux Falls mayor’s race is decided.
“If you don’t live within city limits, then, naturally, you can’t vote in a city election,” Washington told The Dakota Scout and another reporter outside the Minnehaha County Auditor’s Office.
Leah Anderson, Minnehaha County auditor, later confirmed to The Dakota Scout she had observed the qualifying ballots herself and saw both Erickson and Smith earned a single vote between the two.
She clarified that the ballots technically needed to be tabulated as of 10:15 a.m.
The addition of the provisional ballots raises the vote total to 36,558 in the mayoral runoff. Erickson remains two votes ahead, pending a recount that Smith is certain to request.
On Tuesday night, Smith told his supporters at his Overlook Cafe watch party that he would ask for a recount.
“There are some other things we are looking into at this point,” he said.
Under state law, a candidate who is defeated by 2 percent or less, or five votes or less, can request a recount. Erickson and Smith are tied at 49.91 percent even with the inclusion of the two extra votes. The request can be made after the official canvass, which the Sioux Falls City Council will oversee at 6 p.m. June 30. A recount board must be named within 10 days of the recount request.
Once the recount process is initiated, Washington said the actual review of the thousands of regular ballots could range from a day up to several days to complete.
What is a provisional ballot? Why just 5? How do people outside the city get a ballot? A few questions you might address.
In the sake of transparency I'd like to know the party registration of the voters who cast the rejected provisional ballots.
And how far out of town do they live? I can maybe understand the mistake if they live in a new development that is set to be taken in by the city, but if we're talking a mile outside of town, law enforcement should look into it.