Sioux Falls should elect its mayor and City Council members when the most voters are already going to the polls: in November of even-numbered years, alongside our state and federal general elections.
The City Council made a reasonable choice when it scheduled the 2026 municipal election for June. Mayor Paul TenHaken was term-limited and ready to move on. Waiting until November would have extended his term for several additional months. June made sense as a one-time solution, but it should not become the permanent solution.
The strongest argument for November is turnout. In the April 2018 municipal election, 32,166 Sioux Falls residents cast ballots, representing 30.5 percent turnout. The May 2018 runoff did slightly better, with 33,343 ballots cast and 31.8 percent turnout.
