With the general election less than a month away, many local voters are contemplating their choices.
In the weeks to come, the American News will publish more election-related stories with an emphasis on local races and topics. Below is a list of candidates and issues that voters in northeast and northcentral South Dakota and Dickey County in North Dakota will find on their ballots.
Unopposed candidates, while listed below, will not be listed on ballots.
South Dakota
Statewide races
U.S. representative
(Two-year term)
Matt Varilek, D-Sioux Falls
Kristi Noem, R-Castlewood
Public Utilities Commissioner
(Full six-year term)
Matt McGovern, Democrat
Kristie Fiegen, Republican
Russell Clarke, Libertarian
Public Utilities Commissioner
(Partial four-year term)
Nick Nemec, Democrat
Chris Nelson, Republican
Judgeship
To retain state Supreme Court Justice Glen Severson.
Yes or no
Statewide Ballot Measures
Constitutional Amendments
M
To remove and bring up to date certain constitutional restrictions relating to corporations.
Yes or no
N
To eliminate a 5-cent-per-mile reimbursement rate for legislative travel.
Yes or no
O
To change the method of annual distributions from the state cement plant trust fund to the general fund from $12 million to 4 percent of the plant's market values.
Yes or no
P
To add a requirement that the governor annually propose a balanced budget to legislators.
Yes or no
Initiated Measure
15
To increase the state general sales tax and use tax from 4 to 5 percent to better fund K-12 education and Medicaid programs.
Yes or no
Referred Laws
14
To establish a "large project development fund" by using 22 percent of contractors' excise tax revenues that would be transferred from the state general fund.
Yes or no
16
To enact the education reform bill approved by the Legislature earlier this year.
Yes or no
(For more information on constitutional amendments, initiated measures and referred laws, see a sample ballot or visit the South Dakota secretary of state's web page at sdsos.gov.)
State Legislature
(All two-year terms. One senator per district, two representatives per district.)
Senate
District 1
Jason Frerichs, D-Wilmot (unopposed)
District 2
Chuck Welke, D-Warner
Art Fryslie, R-Willow Lake
District 3
Paul Dennert, D-Aberdeen
Al Novstrup, R-Aberdeen
District 23
Corey Brown, R-Gettysburg (unopposed)
House
District 1
Susan Wismer, D-Britton (unopposed)
Dennis Feickert, D-Aberdeen (unopposed)
District 2
Dennis Nemmers, D-Castlewood
Danny Miles, D-Conde
Brock Greenfield, R-Clark
Burt Tulson, R-Lake Norden
District 3
Zachary Anderson, D-Aberdeen
Bill Antonides, D-Aberdeen
David Novstrup, R-Aberdeen
Dan Kaiser, R-Aberdeen
District 23
State Representative
Justin Cronin, R-Gettysburg (unopposed)
Charlie Hoffman, R-Eureka (unopposed)
(District 1 includes all of Day, Marshall and Roberts counties and the northern half of Brown County. District 2 includes all of Clark and Hamlin counties, the southern half of Brown County and all but the southwest portion of Spink County. District 3 includes almost all of Aberdeen. District 23 includes all of Campbell, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, McPherson, Potter and Walworth counties and the southwest portion of Spink County.)
County Races
(All four-year terms unless otherwise noted.)
Brown
Treasurer
Sheila Enderson, Democrat (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Kelly Marnette, Democrat
Larry Lovrien, Republican
Coroner
Michael Carlsen, Republican (unopposed)
County Commission
At-large
(Two to be elected.)
Pat Hale, Democrat
Krysti Mikkonen, Democrat
Rachel Kippley, Republican
Duane Sutton, Republican
Campbell
Treasurer
Renee Rieker, Republican (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Mark Kroontje, Republican (unopposed)
Coroner
Robert Huber, Democrat (unopposed)
County Commission
District 2
Alvin Fjeldheim, Republican (unopposed)
District 4
Scott Rau, Republican (unopposed)
Day
Treasurer
Connie Wagner, Democrat (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Danny Smeins, Democrat (unopposed)
Coroner
Mark Christensen, Republican (unopposed)
County Commission
District 2
James Tompkins, Democrat
Marvin Bury, Republican
District 4
Darrell Hildebrant, Democrat
Gary Carlson, Republican
Darron Iverson, independent
Edmunds
Treasurer
Dianne Stafford, Democrat (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Lynda Hento, Republican (unopposed)
Coroner
Jesse Knittel, independent (unopposed)
County Commission
District 2
Edwin Miller, Republican (unopposed)
District 4
Dennis Hoyle, Republican
Richard Lester, independent
Faulk
Treasurer
Sherry Fix, Republican (unopposed)
Auditor
Kelly Toennies, Republican (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Timothy Bormann, Republican (unopposed)
Coroner
Brent Koens, Republican (unopposed)
County Commission
At-large
(Two to be elected.)
Steve Roseland, Republican (unopposed)
Bill Schilder Jr., Republican (unopposed)
Marshall
Treasurer
Ruby Hagen, Democrat (unopposed)
Auditor (partial term)
Megan Biel, Democrat (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Timothy Purintun, independent (unopposed)
Coroner
David Kleinberg, independent (unopposed)
County Commission
District 2
Myles DeVine, Democrat (unopposed)
District 4
LeRon Knebel Sr., Democrat
James Tisher, independent
McPherson
Treasurer
Donna Breitag, Republican (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Donald Kallenberger, Republican (unopposed)
Coroner
David Roggenkamp, Republican (unopposed)
County Commission
District 2
Rick Beilke, Republican (unopposed)
District 4
James Schumacher, Republican (unopposed)
Potter
Treasurer
Jeanie Lagan, Republican (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Craig Smith, Republican (unopposed)
Coroner
Mandy Luikens, Republican (unopposed)
County Commission
District 2
William Arbach, Republican (unopposed)
District 4
Dean Maroney, Republican (unopposed)
Roberts
Treasurer
Debra Wooley, Democrat (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Kay Nikolas, Democrat
Kerry Cameron, Republican
County Commission
District 2
Tim Zempel, Democrat (unopposed)
District 4
Roger George, Democrat (unopposed)
Spink
Treasurer
Kathy Ludwig, Democrat (unopposed)
State's Attorney
Victor Fischbach, Democrat (unopposed)
Coroner
Patrick Thelen, Republican (unopposed)
County Commission
District 2
Brian Johnson, independent
Cindy Schultz, independent
District 4
Patrick Kramp, Republican (unopposed)
Walworth
Treasurer
Chuck Hanson, Republican
State's Attorney
Christopher Jansen, Republican
James Hare, independent
Coroner
Eric Schley, Republican
County Commission
District 2
Richard Godkin, Republican (unopposed)
District 4
Duane Martin, Republican (unopposed)
North Dakota
U.S. Senate
(Six-year term)
Rick Berg, R-Fargo
Heidi Heitkamp, D-Mandan
U.S. House
(Two-year term)
Kevin Cramer, R-Bismarck
Pam Gulleson, D-Fargo
Eric Olson, Libertarian-Fargo
Governor
(Four-year term)
Jack Dalrymple, R-Bismarck
Ryan Taylor, D-Towner
State Legislature
(All two-year terms. One senator per district, two representatives per district.)
Senate
District 26
Jim Dotzenrod, D-Wyndmere (unopposed)
District 28
Greg Brokaw, D-Ashley
Robert Erbele, R-Lehr
House
District 26
Bill Amerman, D-Forman
Sebastian Ertelt, R-Gwinner
Jerry Kelsh, D-Fullerton
Kathy Skroch, R-Lidgerwood
District 28
Michael Brandenburg, R-Edgeley
Joan Hoffman, D-Fullerton
William Kretschmar, R-Venturia
Austin Wald, D-Napoleon
State constitutional offices
Auditor
(Four-year term)
Scot Kelsh, D-Fargo
Bob Peterson, R-Bismarck
Treasurer
(Four-year term)
Ross Mushik, D-Mandan
Kelly Schmidt, R-Mandan
Insurance commissioner
(Four-year term)
Adam Hamm, R-Bismarck
Tom Potter, D-Grand Forks
Public service commissioner
(Six-year term)
Randy Christmann, R-Hazen
Brad Crabtree, D-Ashley
Joshua Voytek, Libertarian-Fargo
Superintendent of public instruction
(Four-year term)
Kristen Baesler, Mandan
Tracy Potter, Bismarck
County races
Dickey
(All four-year terms unless otherwise notes.)
County Commission
District 2
Tom Denison, Ellendale
Thor Sand, Ellendale
Other races on Dickey County ballots
Judgeships
(Six-year term unless otherwise noted.)
District 4
Gary White, Oakes
District 8 Judge/Southeast
Brad Cruff, Valley City
District 9 Judge/Southeast
John Greenwood, Jamestown
District 8 Judge/Southeast
Richard Grosz, Wahpeton
District 10 Judge/Southeast
(Unexpired three-year term)
Thomas Merrick, Jamestown